Understanding CO2 Plume Behavior and Basin-Scale Pressure Changes during Sequestration Projects through the use of Reservoir Fluid Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Leetaru, H.E.; Frailey, S.M.; Damico, J.; Mehnert, E.; Birkholzer, J.; Zhou, Q.; Jordan, P.D.

2009-01-01

Large scale geologic sequestration tests are in the planning stages around the world. The liability and safety issues of the migration of CO2 away from the primary injection site and/or reservoir are of significant concerns for these sequestration tests. Reservoir models for simulating single or multi-phase fluid flow are used to understand the migration of CO2 in the subsurface. These models can also help evaluate concerns related to brine migration and basin-scale pressure increases that occur due to the injection of additional fluid volumes into the subsurface. The current paper presents different modeling examples addressing these issues, ranging from simple geometric models to more complex reservoir fluid models with single-site and basin-scale applications. Simple geometric models assuming a homogeneous geologic reservoir and piston-like displacement have been used for understanding pressure changes and fluid migration around each CO2 storage site. These geometric models are useful only as broad approximations because they do not account for the variation in porosity, permeability, asymmetry of the reservoir, and dip of the beds. In addition, these simple models are not capable of predicting the interference between different injection sites within the same reservoir. A more realistic model of CO2 plume behavior can be produced using reservoir fluid models. Reservoir simulation of natural gas storage reservoirs in the Illinois Basin Cambrian-age Mt. Simon Sandstone suggest that reservoir heterogeneity will be an important factor for evaluating storage capacity. The Mt. Simon Sandstone is a thick sandstone that underlies many significant coal fired power plants (emitting at least 1 million tonnes per year) in the midwestern United States including the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. The initial commercial sequestration sites are expected to inject 1 to 2 million tonnes of CO2 per year. Depending on the geologic structure and

Fuzzy logic prediction of dew point pressure of selected Iranian gas condensate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nowroozi, Saeed [Shahid Bahonar Univ. of Kerman (Iran); Iranian Offshore Oil Company (I.O.O.C.) (Iran); Ranjbar, Mohammad; Hashemipour, Hassan; Schaffie, Mahin [Shahid Bahonar Univ. of Kerman (Iran)

2009-12-15

The experimental determination of dew point pressure in a window PVT cell is often difficult especially in the case of lean retrograde gas condensate. Besides all statistical, graphical and experimental methods, the fuzzy logic method can be useful and more reliable for estimation of reservoir properties. Fuzzy logic can overcome uncertainty existent in many reservoir properties. Complexity, non-linearity and vagueness are some reservoir parameter characteristics, which can be propagated simply by fuzzy logic. The fuzzy logic dew point pressure modeling system used in this study is a multi input single output (MISO) Mamdani system. The model was developed using experimentally constant volume depletion (CVD) measured samples of some Iranian fields. The performance of the model is compared against the performance of some of the most accurate and general correlations for dew point pressure calculation. Results show that this novel method is more accurate and reliable with an average absolute deviation of 1.33% and 2.68% for developing and checking, respectively. (orig.)

Pressurization Risk Assessment of CO2 Reservoirs Utilizing Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Guyant, E.; Han, W. S.; Kim, K. Y.; Park, E.; Han, K.

2015-12-01

Monitoring of pressure buildup can provide explicit information on reservoir integrity and is an appealing tool, however pressure variation is dependent on a variety of factors causing high uncertainty in pressure predictions. This work evaluated pressurization of a reservoir system in the presence of leakage pathways as well as exploring the effects of compartmentalization of the reservoir utilizing design of experiments (Definitive Screening, Box Behnken, Central Composite, and Latin Hypercube designs) and response surface methods. Two models were developed, 1) an idealized injection scenario in order to evaluate the performance of multiple designs, and 2) a complex injection scenario implementing the best performing design to investigate pressurization of the reservoir system. A holistic evaluation of scenario 1, determined that the Central Composite design would be used for the complex injection scenario. The complex scenario evaluated 5 risk factors: reservoir, seal, leakage pathway and fault permeabilities, and horizontal position of the pathway. A total of 60 response surface models (RSM) were developed for the complex scenario with an average R2 of 0.95 and a NRMSE of 0.067. Sensitivity to the input factors was dynamic through space and time; at the earliest time (0.05 years) the reservoir permeability was dominant, and for later times (>0.5 years) the fault permeability became dominant for all locations. The RSM's were then used to conduct a Monte Carlo Analysis to further analyze pressurization risks, identifying the P10, P50, P90 values. This identified the in zone (lower) P90 values as 2.16, 1.77, and 1.53 MPa and above zone values of 1.35, 1.23, 1.09 MPa for monitoring locations 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In summary, the design of experiments and response surface methods allowed for an efficient sensitivity and uncertainty analysis to be conducted permitting a complete evaluation of the pressurization across the entire parameter space.

Modeling Study of High Pressure and High Temperature Reservoir Fluids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Varzandeh, Farhad

properties like saturation pressures, densities at reservoir temperature and Stock TankviOil (STO) densities, while keeping the n-alkane limit of the correlations unchanged. Apart from applying this general approach to PC-SAFT, we have also shown that the approach can be applied to classical cubic models...... approach to characterizing reservoir fluids for any EoS. The approach consists in developing correlations of model parameters first with a database for well-defined components and then adjusting the correlations with a large PVT database. The adjustment is made to minimize the deviation in key PVT...... method to SRK and PR improved the saturation pressure calculation in comparisonto the original characterization method for SRK and PR. Using volume translationtogether with the new characterization approach for SRK and PR gives comparable results for density and STO density to that of original...

Vapor pressure lowering effects due to salinity and suction pressure in the depletion of vapor-dominated geothermal reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Battistelli, A. [Aquater S.p.A., Pisa (Italy); Calore, C. [Istituto Internazionale per le Ricerche Geotermiche-CNR, Pisa (Italy); Pruess, K. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., Berkeley, CA (United States)

1995-03-01

The equation-of-state module able to handle saline brines with non-condensible gas, developed for the TOUGH2 simulator, has been improved to include vapor pressure lowering (VPL) due to suction pressure as represented by Kelvin`s equation. In this equation the effects of salt are considered whereas those of non-condensible gas have currently been neglected. Numerical simulations of fluid production from tight matrix blocks have been performed to evaluate the impact of VPL effects due to salinity and suction pressure on the depletion behaviour of vapor-dominated geothermal reservoirs. Previous studies performed neglected VPL due to suction pressure showed that for initial NaCl mass fractions above threshold values, {open_quotes}sealing{close_quotes} of the block occurs and large amounts of liquid fluid may not be recovered. On the other hand, below the threshold value the matrix block dries out due to fluid production. The inclusion of VPL due to suction pressure does not allow complete vaporization of the liquid phase. As a result, the threshold NaCl concentration above which sealing of the matrix block occurs is increased. Above the {open_quotes}critical{close_quotes} NaCl concentration, block depletion behaviour with and without the VPL due to suction pressure is almost identical, as liquid phase saturation remains high even after long production times. As the VPL due to suction pressure depends mainly on capillary pressure, the shape of capillary pressure functions used in numerical simulations is important in determining VPL effects on block depletion.

Effect of boundary conditions on pressure behavior of finite-conductivity fractures in bounded stratified reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osman, Mohammed E.; Abou-Kassem, J.H. [Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, UAE University, Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates)

1996-08-15

In this study, a mathematical model was developed to model the pressure behavior of a well located in a bounded multilayer reservoir and crossed by a finite-conductivity vertical fracture. It was found that the dimensionless pressure function and its derivative strongly depend on fracture conductivity and fracture extension during early times. The effect of reservoir heterogeneity on the pressure function is negligible compared to that on the pressure derivative. Both functions exhibit four flow periods: bilinear, formation linear, pseudoradial and pseudosteady-state which are separated by transition periods. One or more of these flow periods may be missing. Data obtained from a long test and which are characterized by a unit slope line indicate that the well is intercepted by deeply extended fractures. It has been found that the fractional production rates of different layers are a good measure of reservoir and fracture characteristics. Flowmeter survey data can be used to eliminate the non-uniqueness problem when using the type curves presented in this study

Acoustic and mechanical response of reservoir rocks under variable saturation and effective pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravazzoli, C L; Santos, J E; Carcione, J M

2003-04-01

We investigate the acoustic and mechanical properties of a reservoir sandstone saturated by two immiscible hydrocarbon fluids, under different saturations and pressure conditions. The modeling of static and dynamic deformation processes in porous rocks saturated by immiscible fluids depends on many parameters such as, for instance, porosity, permeability, pore fluid, fluid saturation, fluid pressures, capillary pressure, and effective stress. We use a formulation based on an extension of Biot's theory, which allows us to compute the coefficients of the stress-strain relations and the equations of motion in terms of the properties of the single phases at the in situ conditions. The dry-rock moduli are obtained from laboratory measurements for variable confining pressures. We obtain the bulk compressibilities, the effective pressure, and the ultrasonic phase velocities and quality factors for different saturations and pore-fluid pressures ranging from normal to abnormally high values. The objective is to relate the seismic and ultrasonic velocity and attenuation to the microstructural properties and pressure conditions of the reservoir. The problem has an application in the field of seismic exploration for predicting pore-fluid pressures and saturation regimes.

Affection mechanism research of initiation crack pressure of perforation parameters of horizontal well

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua Tong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Horizontal wells show better affect and higher success rate in low water ratio cement, complex fracture zone, crevice and heavy oil blocks, it is the main measures to expand control area of a single well. Hydraulic fracturing technology is the most financial way to improve the penetration of the reservoir to increase the production. However, compare with the vertical wells, the fracture of Horizontal wells are more complex, and lead to the initiation crack pressure is much higher than vertical wells. In this paper, defined the crack judging basis, and established the finite element model which could compute the initial crack pressure, to research the affection mechanism of perforation azimuth angle, density, diameter and depth, to provide references of perforation project's design and optimize. The research of this paper has significances on further understanding the affection mechanism of perforation parameters.

Development of a neural fuzzy system for advanced prediction of dew point pressure in gas condensate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nowroozi, Saeed; Hashemipour, Hasan; Schaffie, Mahin [Department of Chemical Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman (Iran); ERC, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman (Iran); Ranjbar, Mohammad [Department of Mining Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman (Iran); ERC, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman (Iran)

2009-03-15

Dew point pressure is one of the most critical quantities for characterizing a gas condensate reservoir. So, accurate determination of this property has been the main challenge in reservoir development and management. The experimental determination of dew point pressure in PVT cell is often difficult especially in case of lean retrograde gas condensate. Empirical correlations and some equations of state can be used to calculate reservoir fluid properties. Empirical correlations do not have ability to reliable duplicate the temperature behavior of constant composition fluids. Equations of state have convergence problem and need to be tuned against some experimental data. Complexity, non-linearity and vagueness are some reservoir parameter characteristic which can be propagated simply by intelligent system. With the advantage of fuzzy sets in knowledge representation and the high capacity of neural nets (NNs) in learning knowledge expressed in data, in this paper a neural fuzzy system(NFS) is proposed to predict dew point pressure of gas condensate reservoir. The model was developed using 110 measurements of dew point pressure. The performance of the model is compared against performance of some of the most accurate and general correlations for dew point pressure calculation. From the results of this study, it can be pointed out that this novel method is more accurate and reliable with the mean square error of 0.058%, 0.074% and 0.044% for training, validation and test processes, respectively. (author)

The pressure equation arising in reservoir simulation. Mathematical properties, numerical methods and upscaling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nielsen, Bjoern Fredrik

1997-12-31

The main purpose of this thesis has been to analyse self-adjoint second order elliptic partial differential equations arising in reservoir simulation. It studies several mathematical and numerical problems for the pressure equation arising in models of fluid flow in porous media. The theoretical results obtained have been illustrated by a series of numerical experiments. The influence of large variations in the mobility tensor upon the solution of the pressure equation is analysed. The performance of numerical methods applied to such problems have been studied. A new upscaling technique for one-phase flow in heterogeneous reservoirs is developed. The stability of the solution of the pressure equation with respect to small perturbations of the mobility tensor is studied. The results are used to develop a new numerical method for a model of fully nonlinear water waves. 158 refs, 39 figs., 12 tabs.

The pressure equation arising in reservoir simulation. Mathematical properties, numerical methods and upscaling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nielsen, Bjoern Fredrik

1998-12-31

The main purpose of this thesis has been to analyse self-adjoint second order elliptic partial differential equations arising in reservoir simulation. It studies several mathematical and numerical problems for the pressure equation arising in models of fluid flow in porous media. The theoretical results obtained have been illustrated by a series of numerical experiments. The influence of large variations in the mobility tensor upon the solution of the pressure equation is analysed. The performance of numerical methods applied to such problems have been studied. A new upscaling technique for one-phase flow in heterogeneous reservoirs is developed. The stability of the solution of the pressure equation with respect to small perturbations of the mobility tensor is studied. The results are used to develop a new numerical method for a model of fully nonlinear water waves. 158 refs, 39 figs., 12 tabs.

A new method for pressure test analysis of a vertically fractured well producing commingled zones in bounded square reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osman, Mohammed E.; Abou-Kassem, J.H. [Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, UAE University, Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates)

1997-07-15

Although hydraulically or naturally fractured wells located in stratified bounded reservoirs are common, reliable techniques available to analyze the pressure test data for such reservoirs are lacking. This paper presents a mathematical model that describes the pressure behavior of a vertically fractured well located in a stratified, bounded, square reservoir. The fracture can be either a uniform flux or an infinite conductivity fracture. It was found that the dimensionless pressure function and its derivative and the fractional production rate from the different layers are mainly controlled by the fracture penetration into the formation, and that transmissibility and storativity affect the fractional production rate and the pressure derivative but have little effect on the dimensionless pressure function. Type curves of dimensionless pressure and dimensionless pressure derivative can be used to evaluate the reservoir characteristics. The selection of the appropriate type curve is guided by the behavior of the layer fractional production rate obtained from flow rate survey carried out during well testing. Type curves for uniform flux and infinite conductivity fractures exhibit similar features. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the application of the new method of analysis presented in this paper

APPLICATION OF INTEGRATED RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT AND RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jack Bergeron; Tom Blasingame; Louis Doublet; Mohan Kelkar; George Freeman; Jeff Callard; David Moore; David Davies; Richard Vessell; Brian Pregger; Bill Dixon; Bryce Bezant

2000-03-01

Reservoir performance and characterization are vital parameters during the development phase of a project. Infill drilling of wells on a uniform spacing, without regard to characterization does not optimize development because it fails to account for the complex nature of reservoir heterogeneities present in many low permeability reservoirs, especially carbonate reservoirs. These reservoirs are typically characterized by: (1) large, discontinuous pay intervals; (2) vertical and lateral changes in reservoir properties; (3) low reservoir energy; (4) high residual oil saturation; and (5) low recovery efficiency. The operational problems they encounter in these types of reservoirs include: (1) poor or inadequate completions and stimulations; (2) early water breakthrough; (3) poor reservoir sweep efficiency in contacting oil throughout the reservoir as well as in the nearby well regions; (4) channeling of injected fluids due to preferential fracturing caused by excessive injection rates; and (5) limited data availability and poor data quality. Infill drilling operations only need target areas of the reservoir which will be economically successful. If the most productive areas of a reservoir can be accurately identified by combining the results of geological, petrophysical, reservoir performance, and pressure transient analyses, then this ''integrated'' approach can be used to optimize reservoir performance during secondary and tertiary recovery operations without resorting to ''blanket'' infill drilling methods. New and emerging technologies such as geostatistical modeling, rock typing, and rigorous decline type curve analysis can be used to quantify reservoir quality and the degree of interwell communication. These results can then be used to develop a 3-D simulation model for prediction of infill locations. The application of reservoir surveillance techniques to identify additional reservoir ''pay'' zones

Asphaltene laboratory assessment of a heavy onshore reservoir during pressure, temperature and composition variations to predict asphaltene onset pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahrami, Peyman; Ahmadi, Yaser [Islamic Azad University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kharrat, Riyaz [Petroleum University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mahdavi, Sedigheh; James, Lesley [Memorial University of Newfoundland, Saint John' s (Canada)

2015-02-15

An Iranian heavy oil reservoir recently encountered challenges in oil production rate, and further investigation has proven that asphaltene precipitation was the root cause of this problem. In addition, CO{sub 2} gas injection could be an appropriate remedy to enhance the production of heavy crudes. In this study, high pressure-high temperature asphaltene precipitation experiments were performed at different temperatures and pressures to investigate the asphaltene phase behavior during the natural depletion process and CO{sub 2} gas injection. Compositional modeling of experimental data predicted onset points at different temperatures which determine the zone of maximum probability of asphaltene precipitation for the studied heavy oil reservoir. Also, the effect of CO{sub 2} gas injection was investigated as a function of CO{sub 2} concentration and pressure. It was found that a CO{sub 2}-oil ratio of 40% is the optimum for limiting precipitation to have the least formation damage and surface instrument contamination.

Naturally fractured reservoirs-yet an unsolved mystery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zahoor, M.K.

2013-01-01

Some of the world's most profitable reservoirs are assumed to be naturally fractured reservoirs (NFR). Effective evaluation, prediction and planning of these reservoirs require an early recognition of the role of natural fractures and then a comprehensive study of factors which affect the flowing performance through these fractures is necessary. As NFRs are the combination of matrix and fractures mediums so their analysis varies from non-fractured reservoirs. Matrix acts as a storage medium while mostly fluid flow takes place from fracture network. Many authors adopted different approaches to understand the flow behavior in such reservoirs. In this paper a broad review about the previous work done in naturally fractured reservoirs area is outlined and a different idea is initiated for the NFR simulation studies. The role of capillary pressure in natural fractures is always been a key factor for accurate recovery estimations. Also recovery through these reservoirs is dependent upon grid block shape while doing NFR simulation. Some authors studied above mentioned factors in combination with other rock properties to understand the flow behavior in such reservoirs but less emphasis was given for checking the effects on recovery estimations by the variations of only fracture capillary pressures and grid block shapes. So there is need to analyze the behavior of NFR for the mentioned conditions. (author)

Influence of Adsorption and Capillary Pressure on Phase Equilibria Inside Shale Reservoirs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandoval, Diego R.; Yan, Wei; Michelsen, Michael L.

2018-01-01

is moderate in comparison to the that at low pressure and high temperature. The adsorption effects are stronger for the gas bulk phase region, leading to bigger changes in the gas phase composition and the shift of the dew point curve. PVT simulations of two model reservoir fluid systems show significant...... envelope is different. In general, a much shrunk phase envelope with a shifted critical point is observed. The heavier components are preferentially adsorbed in the whole pressure and temperature range studied here. At high pressure and low temperature, the selectivity towards heavier components...

12 min/week of high-intensity interval training reduces aortic reservoir pressure in individuals with metabolic syndrome: a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Joyce S; Dalleck, Lance C; Ramos, Maximiano V; Borrani, Fabio; Roberts, Llion; Gomersall, Sjaan; Beetham, Kassia S; Dias, Katrin A; Keating, Shelley E; Fassett, Robert G; Sharman, James E; Coombes, Jeff S

2016-10-01

Decreased aortic reservoir function leads to a rise in aortic reservoir pressure that is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. Although there is evidence that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) would be useful to improve aortic reservoir pressure, the optimal dose of high-intensity exercise to improve aortic reservoir function has yet to be investigated. Therefore, this study compared the effect of different volumes of HIIT and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on aortic reservoir pressure in participants with the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Fifty individuals with MetS were randomized into one of the following 16-week training programs: MICT [n = 17, 30 min at 60-70% peak heart rate (HRpeak), five times/week]; 4 × 4-min high-intensity interval training (4HIIT) (n = 15, 4 × 4 min bouts at 85-95% HRpeak, interspersed with 3 min of active recovery at 50-70% HRpeak, three times/week); and 1 × 4-min high-intensity interval training (1HIIT) (n = 18, 1 × 4 min bout at 85-95% HRpeak, three times/week). Aortic reservoir pressure was calculated from radial applanation tonometry. Although not statistically significant, there was a trend for a small-to-medium group × time interaction effect on aortic reservoir pressure, indicating a positive adaptation following 1HIIT compared with 4HIIT and MICT [F (2,46) = 2.9, P = 0.07, η = 0.06]. This is supported by our within-group analysis wherein only 1HIIT significantly decreased aortic reservoir pressure from pre to postintervention (pre-post: 1HIIT 33 ± 16 to 31 ± 13, P = 0.03; MICT 29 ± 9-28 ± 8, P = 0.78; 4HIIT 28 ± 10-30 ± 9 mmHg, P = 0.10). Three sessions of 4 min of high-intensity exercise per week (12 min/week) was sufficient to improve aortic reservoir pressure, and thus may be a time-efficient exercise modality for reducing cardiovascular risk in individuals with MetS.

Lava lake level as a gauge of magma reservoir pressure and eruptive hazard

Science.gov (United States)

Patrick, Matthew R.; Anderson, Kyle R.; Poland, Michael P.; Orr, Tim R.; Swanson, Donald A.

2015-01-01

Forecasting volcanic activity relies fundamentally on tracking magma pressure through the use of proxies, such as ground surface deformation and earthquake rates. Lava lakes at open-vent basaltic volcanoes provide a window into the uppermost magma system for gauging reservoir pressure changes more directly. At Kīlauea Volcano (Hawaiʻi, USA) the surface height of the summit lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater fluctuates with surface deformation over short (hours to days) and long (weeks to months) time scales. This correlation implies that the lake behaves as a simple piezometer of the subsurface magma reservoir. Changes in lava level and summit deformation scale with (and shortly precede) changes in eruption rate from Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, indicating that summit lava level can be used for short-term forecasting of rift zone activity and associated hazards at Kīlauea.

Numerical modeling of shear stimulation in naturally fractured geothermal reservoirs

OpenAIRE

Ucar, Eren

2018-01-01

Shear-dilation-based hydraulic stimulations are conducted to create enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) from low permeable geothermal reservoirs, which are initially not amenable to energy production. Reservoir stimulations are done by injecting low-pressurized fluid into the naturally fractured formations. The injection aims to activate critically stressed fractures by decreasing frictional strength and ultimately cause a shear failure. The shear failure leads to a permanent ...

Understanding creep in sandstone reservoirs - theoretical deformation mechanism maps for pressure solution in granular materials

Science.gov (United States)

Hangx, Suzanne; Spiers, Christopher

2014-05-01

Subsurface exploitation of the Earth's natural resources removes the natural system from its chemical and physical equilibrium. As such, groundwater extraction and hydrocarbon production from subsurface reservoirs frequently causes surface subsidence and induces (micro)seismicity. These effects are not only a problem in onshore (e.g. Groningen, the Netherlands) and offshore hydrocarbon fields (e.g. Ekofisk, Norway), but also in urban areas with extensive groundwater pumping (e.g. Venice, Italy). It is known that fluid extraction inevitably leads to (poro)elastic compaction of reservoirs, hence subsidence and occasional fault reactivation, and causes significant technical, economic and ecological impact. However, such effects often exceed what is expected from purely elastic reservoir behaviour and may continue long after exploitation has ceased. This is most likely due to time-dependent compaction, or 'creep deformation', of such reservoirs, driven by the reduction in pore fluid pressure compared with the rock overburden. Given the societal and ecological impact of surface subsidence, as well as the current interest in developing geothermal energy and unconventional gas resources in densely populated areas, there is much need for obtaining better quantitative understanding of creep in sediments to improve the predictability of the impact of geo-energy and groundwater production. The key problem in developing a reliable, quantitative description of the creep behaviour of sediments, such as sands and sandstones, is that the operative deformation mechanisms are poorly known and poorly quantified. While grain-scale brittle fracturing plus intergranular sliding play an important role in the early stages of compaction, these time-independent, brittle-frictional processes give way to compaction creep on longer time-scales. Thermally-activated mass transfer processes, like pressure solution, can cause creep via dissolution of material at stressed grain contacts, grain

In Vitro Evaluation of Evacuated Blood Collection Tubes as a Closed-Suction Surgical Drain Reservoir.

Science.gov (United States)

Heiser, Brian; Okrasinski, E B; Murray, Rebecca; McCord, Kelly

The initial negative pressures of evacuated blood collection tubes (EBCT) and their in vitro performance as a rigid closed-suction surgical drain (CSSD) reservoir has not been evaluated in the scientific literature despite being described in both human and veterinary texts and journals. The initial negative pressures of EBCT sized 3, 6, 10, and 15 mL were measured and the stability of the system monitored. The pressure-to-volume curve as either air or water was added and maximal filling volumes were measured. Evacuated blood collection tubes beyond the manufacture's expiration date were evaluated for initial negative pressures and maximal filling volumes. Initial negative pressure ranged from -214 mm Hg to -528 mm Hg for EBCT within the manufacturer's expiration date. Different pressure-to-volume curves were found for air versus water. Optimal negative pressures of CSSD are debated in the literature. Drain purpose and type of exudates are factors that should be considered when deciding which EBCT size to implement. Evacuated blood collection tubes have a range of negative pressures and pressure-to-volume curves similar to previously evaluated CSSD rigid reservoirs. Proper drain management and using EBCT within labeled expiration date are important to ensure that expected negative pressures are generated.

Pressure and fluid saturation prediction in a multicomponent reservoir, using combined seismic and electromagnetic imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoversten, G.M.; Gritto, Roland; Washbourne, John; Daley, Tom

2002-01-01

This paper presents a method for combining seismic and electromagnetic measurements to predict changes in water saturation, pressure, and CO 2 gas/oil ratio in a reservoir undergoing CO 2 flood. Crosswell seismic and electromagnetic data sets taken before and during CO 2 flooding of an oil reservoir are inverted to produce crosswell images of the change in compressional velocity, shear velocity, and electrical conductivity during a CO 2 injection pilot study. A rock properties model is developed using measured log porosity, fluid saturations, pressure, temperature, bulk density, sonic velocity, and electrical conductivity. The parameters of the rock properties model are found by an L1-norm simplex minimization of predicted and observed differences in compressional velocity and density. A separate minimization, using Archie's law, provides parameters for modeling the relations between water saturation, porosity, and the electrical conductivity. The rock-properties model is used to generate relationships between changes in geophysical parameters and changes in reservoir parameters. Electrical conductivity changes are directly mapped to changes in water saturation; estimated changes in water saturation are used along with the observed changes in shear wave velocity to predict changes in reservoir pressure. The estimation of the spatial extent and amount of CO 2 relies on first removing the effects of the water saturation and pressure changes from the observed compressional velocity changes, producing a residual compressional velocity change. This velocity change is then interpreted in terms of increases in the CO 2 /oil ratio. Resulting images of the CO 2 /oil ratio show CO 2 -rich zones that are well correlated to the location of injection perforations, with the size of these zones also correlating to the amount of injected CO 2 . The images produced by this process are better correlated to the location and amount of injected CO 2 than are any of the individual

Advantageous Reservoir Characterization Technology in Extra Low Permeability Oil Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yutian Luo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper took extra low permeability reservoirs in Dagang Liujianfang Oilfield as an example and analyzed different types of microscopic pore structures by SEM, casting thin sections fluorescence microscope, and so on. With adoption of rate-controlled mercury penetration, NMR, and some other advanced techniques, based on evaluation parameters, namely, throat radius, volume percentage of mobile fluid, start-up pressure gradient, and clay content, the classification and assessment method of extra low permeability reservoirs was improved and the parameter boundaries of the advantageous reservoirs were established. The physical properties of reservoirs with different depth are different. Clay mineral variation range is 7.0%, and throat radius variation range is 1.81 μm, and start pressure gradient range is 0.23 MPa/m, and movable fluid percentage change range is 17.4%. The class IV reservoirs account for 9.56%, class II reservoirs account for 12.16%, and class III reservoirs account for 78.29%. According to the comparison of different development methods, class II reservoir is most suitable for waterflooding development, and class IV reservoir is most suitable for gas injection development. Taking into account the gas injection in the upper section of the reservoir, the next section of water injection development will achieve the best results.

Surrogate reservoir models for CSI well probabilistic production forecast

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saúl Buitrago

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to present the construction and use of Surrogate Reservoir Models capable of accurately predicting cumulative oil production for every well stimulated with cyclic steam injection at any given time in a heavy oil reservoir in Mexico considering uncertain variables. The central composite experimental design technique was selected to capture the maximum amount of information from the model response with a minimum number of reservoir models simulations. Four input uncertain variables (the dead oil viscosity with temperature, the reservoir pressure, the reservoir permeability and oil sand thickness hydraulically connected to the well were selected as the ones with more impact on the initial hot oil production rate according to an analytical production prediction model. Twenty five runs were designed and performed with the STARS simulator for each well type on the reservoir model. The results show that the use of Surrogate Reservoir Models is a fast viable alternative to perform probabilistic production forecasting of the reservoir.

Characterization of Fractured Reservoirs Using a Combination of Downhole Pressure and Self-Potential Transient Data

OpenAIRE

Yuji Nishi; Tsuneo Ishido

2012-01-01

In order to appraise the utility of self-potential (SP) measurements to characterize fractured reservoirs, we carried out continuous SP monitoring using multi Ag-AgCl electrodes installed within two open holes at the Kamaishi Mine, Japan. The observed ratio of SP change to pressure change associated with fluid flow showed different behaviors between intact host rock and fractured rock regions. Characteristic behavior peculiar to fractured reservoirs, which is predicted from numerical simulati...

AUTOMATED TECHNIQUE FOR FLOW MEASUREMENTS FROM MARIOTTE RESERVOIRS.

Science.gov (United States)

Constantz, Jim; Murphy, Fred

1987-01-01

The mariotte reservoir supplies water at a constant hydraulic pressure by self-regulation of its internal gas pressure. Automated outflow measurements from mariotte reservoirs are generally difficult because of the reservoir's self-regulation mechanism. This paper describes an automated flow meter specifically designed for use with mariotte reservoirs. The flow meter monitors changes in the mariotte reservoir's gas pressure during outflow to determine changes in the reservoir's water level. The flow measurement is performed by attaching a pressure transducer to the top of a mariotte reservoir and monitoring gas pressure changes during outflow with a programmable data logger. The advantages of the new automated flow measurement techniques include: (i) the ability to rapidly record a large range of fluxes without restricting outflow, and (ii) the ability to accurately average the pulsing flow, which commonly occurs during outflow from the mariotte reservoir.

The impact of pressure-dependent interfacial tension and buoyancy forces upon pressure depletion in virgin hydrocarbon reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDougall, S.R.; Mackay, E.J. [Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (United Kingdom). Dept. of Petroleum Engineering

1998-07-01

This paper describes a combined experimental and theoretical study of the microscopic pore-scale physics characterizing gas and liquid production from hydrocarbon reservoirs during pressure depletion. The primary focus of the study was to examine the complex interactions between interfacial tension and buoyancy forces during gas evolution within a porous medium containing oil, water and gas. A specialized 2-dimensional glass micromodel, capable of operating at pressure in excess of 35 MPa was used to visualize the physical mechanisms governing such microscopic processes. In addition, a 3-dimensional, 3-phase numerical pore-scale simulator was developed that can be used to examine gas evolution over a range of different lengthscales and for a wide range of fluid and rock properties. The model incorporates all of the important physics observed in associated laboratory micromodel experiments, including: embryonic nucleation, supersaturation effects, multiphase diffusion, bubble growth-migration-fragmentation, and three-phase spreading coefficients. The precise pore-scale mechanisms governing gas evolution were found to be far more subtle than earlier models would suggest because of the large variation of gas/oil interfacial tension with pressure. This has a profound effect upon the migration of gas structures during depletion and, in models pertaining to reservoir rock, the process of gas migration is consequently much slower than previously thought. This is the first time that such a phenomena has been modelled at the pore-scale and the implications for production forecasting are thought to be significant. (author)

Phase Envelope Calculations for Reservoir Fluids in the Presence of Capillary Pressure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lemus, Diego; Yan, Wei; Michelsen, Michael L.

2015-01-01

the bubble and dew point curves but also other quality lines with vapor fractions between 0 and 1. The algorithm has been used to calculate the phase envelopes of binary, multicomponent and reservoir fluid systems for pore radius from 10 to 50 nm. The presence of capillary pressure changes the saturation...... pressures in the whole phase envelope except at the critical point. The bubble point curve shows a negative change while the dew point curve shows positive and negative changes in the upper dew point branch and the lower dew point branch, respectively. In particular, the cricondentherm is also shifted...

Reservoir response to thermal and high-pressure well stimulation efforts at Raft River, Idaho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plummer, Mitchell [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Bradford, Jacob [Energy & Geoscience Institute at the Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Moore, Joseph [Energy & Geoscience Institute at the Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Podgorney, Robert [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-08-01

An injection stimulation test begun at the Raft River geothermal reservoir in June, 2013 has produced a wealth of data describing well and reservoir response via high-resolution temperature logging and distributed temperature sensing, seismic monitoring, periodic borehole televiewer logging, periodic stepped flow rate tests and tracer injections before and after stimulation efforts. One of the primary measures of response to the stimulation is the relationship between fluid pressure and flow rate, short-term during forced flow rate changes and the long-term change in injectivity. In this paper we examine that hydraulic response using standard pumping test analysis methods, largely because pressure response to the stimulation was not detected, or measurable, in other wells. Analysis of stepped rate flow tests supports the inference from other data that a large fracture, with a radial extent of one to several meters, intersects the well in the target reservoir, suggests that the flow regime is radial to a distance of only several meters and demonstrates that the pressure build-up cone reaches an effective constant head at that distance. The well’s longer term hydraulic response demonstrated continually increasing injectivity but at a dramatically faster rate later from ~2 years out and continuing to the present. The net change in injectivity is significantly greater than observed in other longterm injectivity monitoring studies, with an approximately 150–fold increase occurring over ~2.5 years. While gradually increasing injectivity is a likely consequence of slow migration of a cooling front, and consequent dilation of fractures, the steady, ongoing, rate of increase is contrary to what would be expected in a radial or linear flow regime, where the cooling front would slow with time. As a result, occasional step-like changes in injectivity, immediately following high-flow rate tests suggest that hydro shearing during high-pressure testing altered the near

A Mathematical Pressure Transient Analysis Model for Multiple Fractured Horizontal Wells in Shale Gas Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Zeng

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Multistage fractured horizontal wells (MFHWs have become the main technology for shale gas exploration. However, the existing models have neglected the percolation mechanism in nanopores of organic matter and failed to consider the differences among the reservoir properties in different areas. On that account, in this study, a modified apparent permeability model was proposed describing gas flow in shale gas reservoirs by integrating bulk gas flow in nanopores and gas desorption from nanopores. The apparent permeability was introduced into the macroseepage model to establish a dynamic pressure analysis model for MFHWs dual-porosity formations. The Laplace transformation and the regular perturbation method were used to obtain an analytical solution. The influences of fracture half-length, fracture permeability, Langmuir volume, matrix radius, matrix permeability, and induced fracture permeability on pressure and production were discussed. Results show that fracture half-length, fracture permeability, and induced fracture permeability exert a significant influence on production. A larger Langmuir volume results in a smaller pressure and pressure derivative. An increase in matrix permeability increases the production rate. Besides, this model fits the actual field data relatively well. It has a reliable theoretical foundation and can preferably describe the dynamic changes of pressure in the exploration process.

Pressure and pressure derivative analysis for injection tests with variable temperature without type-curve matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar, Freddy Humberto; Martinez, Javier Andres; Montealegre Matilde

2008-01-01

The analysis of injection tests under nonisothermic conditions is important for the accurate estimation of the reservoir permeability and the well's skin factor; since previously an isothermical system was assumed without taking into account a moving temperature front which expands with time plus the consequent changes in both viscosity and mobility between the cold and the hot zone of the reservoir which leads to unreliable estimation of the reservoir and well parameters. To construct the solution an analytical approach presented by Boughrara and Peres (2007) was used. That solution was initially introduced for the calculation of the injection pressure in an isothermic system. It was later modified by Boughrara and Reynolds (2007) to consider a system with variable temperature in vertical wells. In this work, the pressure response was obtained by numerical solution of the anisothermical model using the Gauss Quadrature method to solve the integrals, and assuming that both injection and reservoir temperatures were kept constant during the injection process and the water saturation is uniform throughout the reservoir. For interpretation purposes, a technique based upon the unique features of the pressure and pressure derivative curves were used without employing type-curve matching (TDS technique). The formulation was verified by its application to field and synthetic examples. As expected, increasing reservoir temperature causes a decrement in the mobility ratio, then estimation of reservoir permeability is some less accurate from the second radial flow, especially, as the mobility ratio increases

An innovative technique for estimating water saturation from capillary pressure in clastic reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Adeoti, Lukumon; Ayolabi, Elijah Adebowale; James, Logan

2017-11-01

A major drawback of old resistivity tools is the poor vertical resolution and estimation of hydrocarbon when applying water saturation (Sw) from historical resistivity method. In this study, we have provided an alternative method called saturation height function to estimate hydrocarbon in some clastic reservoirs in the Niger Delta. The saturation height function was derived from pseudo capillary pressure curves generated using modern wells with complete log data. Our method was based on the determination of rock type from log derived porosity-permeability relationship, supported by volume of shale for its classification into different zones. Leverette-J functions were derived for each rock type. Our results show good correlation between Sw from resistivity based method and Sw from pseudo capillary pressure curves in wells with modern log data. The resistivity based model overestimates Sw in some wells while Sw from the pseudo capillary pressure curves validates and predicts more accurate Sw. In addition, the result of Sw from pseudo capillary pressure curves replaces that of resistivity based model in a well where the resistivity equipment failed. The plot of hydrocarbon pore volume (HCPV) from J-function against HCPV from Archie shows that wells with high HCPV have high sand qualities and vice versa. This was further used to predict the geometry of stratigraphic units. The model presented here freshly addresses the gap in the estimation of Sw and is applicable to reservoirs of similar rock type in other frontier basins worldwide.

Fortescue reservoir development and reservoir studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henzell, S.T.; Hicks, G.J.; Horden, M.J.; Irrgang, H.R.; Janssen, E.J.; Kable, C.W.; Mitchell, R.A.H.; Morrell, N.W.; Palmer, I.D.; Seage, N.W.

1985-03-01

The Fortescue field in the Gippsland Basin, offshore southeastern Australia is being developed from two platforms (Fortescue A and Cobia A) by Esso Australia Ltd. (operator) and BHP Petroleum. The Fortescue reservoir is a stratigraphic trap at the top of the Latrobe Group of sediments. It overlies the western flank of the Halibut and Cobia fields and is separated from them by a non-net sequence of shales and coals which form a hydraulic barrier between the two systems. Development drilling into the Fortescue reservoir commenced in April 1983 with production coming onstream in May 1983. Fortescue, with booked reserves of 44 stock tank gigalitres (280 million stock tank barrels) of 43/sup 0/ API oil, is the seventh major oil reservoir to be developed in the offshore Gippsland Basin by Esso/BHP. In mid-1984, after drilling a total of 20 exploration and development wells, and after approximately one year of production, a detailed three-dimensional, two-phase reservoir simulation study was performed to examine the recovery efficiency, drainage patterns, pressure performance and production rate potential of the reservoir. The model was validated by history matching an extensive suite of Repeat Formation Test (RFT) pressure data. The results confirmed the reserves basis, and demonstrated that the ultimate oil recovery from the reservoir is not sensitive to production rate. This result is consistent with studies on other high quality Latrobe Group reservoirs in the Gippsland Basin which contain undersaturated crudes and receive very strong water drive from the Basin-wide aquifer system. With the development of the simulation model during the development phase, it has been possible to more accurately define the optimal well pattern for the remainder of the development.

GPU-Based Computation of Formation Pressure for Multistage Hydraulically Fractured Horizontal Wells in Tight Oil and Gas Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rongwang Yin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A mathematical model for multistage hydraulically fractured horizontal wells (MFHWs in tight oil and gas reservoirs was derived by considering the variations in the permeability and porosity of tight oil and gas reservoirs that depend on formation pressure and mixed fluid properties and introducing the pseudo-pressure; analytical solutions were presented using the Newman superposition principle. The CPU-GPU asynchronous computing model was designed based on the CUDA platform, and the analytic solution was decomposed into infinite summation and integral forms for parallel computation. Implementation of this algorithm on an Intel i5 4590 CPU and NVIDIA GT 730 GPU demonstrates that computation speed increased by almost 80 times, which meets the requirement for real-time calculation of the formation pressure of MFHWs.

Characterization of Fractured Reservoirs Using a Combination of Downhole Pressure and Self-Potential Transient Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuji Nishi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In order to appraise the utility of self-potential (SP measurements to characterize fractured reservoirs, we carried out continuous SP monitoring using multi Ag-AgCl electrodes installed within two open holes at the Kamaishi Mine, Japan. The observed ratio of SP change to pressure change associated with fluid flow showed different behaviors between intact host rock and fractured rock regions. Characteristic behavior peculiar to fractured reservoirs, which is predicted from numerical simulations of electrokinetic phenomena in MINC (multiple interacting continua double-porosity media, was observed near the fractures. Semilog plots of the ratio of SP change to pressure change observed in one of the two wells show obvious transition from intermediate time increasing to late time stable trends, which indicate that the time required for pressure equilibration between the fracture and matrix regions is about 800 seconds. Fracture spacing was estimated to be a few meters assuming several micro-darcies (10-18 m2 of the matrix region permeability, which is consistent with geological and hydrological observations.

Landslide-Generated Waves in a Dam Reservoir: The Effects of Landslide Rheology and Initial Submergence

Science.gov (United States)

Yavari Ramsheh, S.; Ataie-Ashtiani, B.

2017-12-01

Recent studies revealed that landslide-generated waves (LGWs) impose the largest tsunami hazard to our shorelines although earthquake-generated waves (EGWs) occur more often. Also, EGWs are commonly followed by a large number of landslide hazards. Dam reservoirs are more vulnerable to landslide events due to being located in mountainous areas. Accurate estimation of such hazards and their destructive consequences help authorities to reduce their risks by constructive measures. In this regard, a two-layer two-phase Coulomb mixture flow (2LCMFlow) model is applied to investigate the effects of landslide characteristics on LGWs for a real-sized simplification of the Maku dam reservoir, located in the North of Iran. A sensitivity analysis is performed on the role of landslide rheological and constitutive parameters and its initial submergence in LGW characteristics and formation patterns. The numerical results show that for a subaerial (SAL), a semi-submerged (SSL), and a submarine landslide (SML) with the same initial geometry, the SSLs can create the largest wave crest, up to 60% larger than SALs, for dense material. However, SMLs generally create the largest wave troughs and SALs travel the maximum runout distances beneath the water. Regarding the two-phase (solid-liquid) nature of the landslide, when interestial water is isolated from the water layer along the water/landslide interface, a LGW with up to 30% higher wave crest can be created. In this condition, increasing the pore water pressure within the granular layer results in up to 35% higher wave trough and 40% lower wave crest at the same time. These results signify the importance of appropriate description of two-phase nature and rheological behavior of landslides in accurate estimation of LGWs which demands further numerical, physical, and field studies about such phenomena.

Analysis of pressure falloff tests of non-Newtonian power-law fluids in naturally-fractured bounded reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omotayo Omosebi

2015-12-01

This article presents an analytic technique for interpreting pressure falloff tests of non-Newtonian Power-law fluids in wells that are located near boundaries in dual-porosity reservoirs. First, dimensionless pressure solutions are obtained and Stehfest inversion algorithm is used to develop new type curves. Subsequently, long-time analytic solutions are presented and interpretation procedure is proposed using direct synthesis. Two examples, including real field data from a heavy oil reservoir in Colombian eastern plains basin, are used to validate and demonstrate application of this technique. Results agree with conventional type-curve matching procedure. The approach proposed in this study avoids the use of type curves, which is prone to human errors. It provides a better alternative for direct estimation of formation and flow properties from falloff data.

EOS simulation and GRNN modeling of the constant volume depletion behavior of gas condensate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elsharkawy, A.M.; Foda, S.G. [Kuwait University, Safat (Kuwait). Petroleum Engineering Dept.

1998-03-01

Currently, two approaches are being used to predict the changes in retrograde gas condensate composition and estimate the pressure depletion behavior of gas condensate reservoirs. The first approach uses the equation of states whereas the second uses empirical correlations. Equations of states (EOS) are poor predictive tools for complex hydrocarbon systems. The EOS needs adjustment against phase behavior data of reservoir fluid of known composition. The empirical correlation does not involve numerous numerical computations but their accuracy is limited. This study presents two general regression neural network (GRNN) models. The first model, GRNNM1, is developed to predict dew point pressure and gas compressibility at dew point using initial composition of numerous samples while the second model, GRNNM2, is developed to predict the changes in well stream effluent composition at any stages of pressure depletion. GRNNM2 can also be used to determine the initial reservoir fluid composition using dew point pressure, gas compressibility at dew point, and reservoir temperature. These models are based on analysis of 142 sample of laboratory studies of constant volume depletion (CVD) for gas condensate systems forming a total of 1082 depletion stages. The database represents a wide range of gas condensate systems obtained worldwide. The performance of the GRNN models has been compared to simulation results of the equation of state. The study shows that the proposed general regression neural network models are accurate, valid, and reliable. These models can be used to forecast CVD data needed for many reservoir engineering calculations in case laboratory data is unavailable. The GRNN models save computer time involved in EOS calculations. The study also show that once these models are properly trained they can be used to cut expenses of frequent sampling and laborious experimental CVD tests required for gas condensate reservoirs. 55 refs., 13 figs., 6 tabs.

Experimental Investigation on the Behavior of Supercritical CO2 during Reservoir Depressurization.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rong; Jiang, Peixue; He, Di; Chen, Xue; Xu, Ruina

2017-08-01

CO 2 sequestration in saline aquifers is a promising way to address climate change. However, the pressure of the sequestration reservoir may decrease in practice, which induces CO 2 exsolution and expansion in the reservoir. In this study, we conducted a core-scale experimental investigation on the depressurization of CO 2 -containing sandstone using NMR equipment. Three different series of experiments were designed to investigate the influence of the depressurization rate and the initial CO2 states on the dynamics of different trapping mechanisms. The pressure range of the depressurization was from 10.5 to 4.0 MPa, which covered the supercritical and gaseous states of the CO 2 (named as CO 2 (sc) and CO 2 (g), respectively). It was found that when the aqueous phase saturated initially, the exsolution behavior strongly depended on the depressurization rate. When the CO 2 and aqueous phase coexisting initially, the expansion of the CO 2 (sc/g) contributed to the incremental CO 2 saturation in the core only when the CO 2 occurred as residually trapped. It indicates that the reservoir depressurization has the possibility to convert the solubility trapping to the residual trapping phase, and/or convert the residual trapping to mobile CO 2 .

Intracranial Pressure-Guided Shunt Valve Adjustments with the Miethke Sensor Reservoir.

Science.gov (United States)

Antes, Sebastian; Stadie, Axel; Müller, Simon; Linsler, Stefan; Breuskin, David; Oertel, Joachim

2018-01-01

Telemetric intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring seems to be a promising therapy-supporting option in shunt-treated patients. Benefits become obvious when headaches are unspecific and clinical symptoms cannot be related to possible overdrainage or underdrainage. In this study, we evaluated a new telemetric device to individually adjust shunt valves according to ICP measurements. Between December 2015 and November 2016, 25 patients with suspected suboptimal shunt valve settings underwent insertion of a telemetric ICP sensor (Sensor Reservoir; Christoph Miethke, Potsdam, Germany). Over a 1-year period, a total of 183 telemetric ICP measurements and 85 shunt valve adjustments were carried out. Retrospective statistic analyses focused on valve adjustments, ICP values, and clinical outcomes. ICP-guided valve adjustments positively changed the clinical state in 18 out of 25 patients. Clinical improvement over time was associated with significant changes of the valve settings and ICP values. Interestingly, a therapeutically normalized ICP profile was not automatically associated with clinical improvement. The Sensor Reservoir is an important and valuable tool for shunt-treated patients suffering from drainage-related problems. The possibility to simultaneously recognize and solve shunt problems represents the decisive advantage. Nevertheless, measurements with the Sensor Reservoir did not allow for the determination of default valve settings or universal target ICP values. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phospholipids fatty acids of drinking water reservoir sedimentary microbial community: Structure and function responses to hydrostatic pressure and other physico-chemical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, Bei-Bei; Huang, Ting-Lin; Zhao, Xiao-Guang; Li, Ya-Jiao

2015-07-01

Microbial communities in three drinking water reservoirs, with different depth in Xi'an city, were quantified by phospholipids fatty acids analysis and multivariate statistical analysis was employed to interpret their response to different hydrostatic pressure and other physico-chemical properties of sediment and overlying water. Principle component analyses of sediment characteristics parameters showed that hydrostatic pressure was the most important effect factor to differentiate the overlying water quality from three drinking water reservoirs from each other. NH4+ content in overlying water was positive by related to hydrostatic pressure, while DO in water-sediment interface and sediment OC in sediment were negative by related with it. Three drinking water reservoir sediments were characterized by microbial communities dominated by common and facultative anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria, as well as, by sulfur oxidizing bacteria. Hydrostatic pressure and physico-chemical properties of sediments (such as sediment OC, sediment TN and sediment TP) were important effect factors to microbial community structure, especially hydrostatic pressure. It is also suggested that high hydrostatic pressure and low dissolved oxygen concentration stimulated Gram-positive and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) bacterial population in drinking water reservoir sediment. This research supplied a successful application of phospholipids fatty acids and multivariate analysis to investigate microbial community composition response to different environmental factors. Thus, few physico-chemical factors can be used to estimate composition microbial of community as reflected by phospholipids fatty acids, which is difficult to detect.

Application of Integrated Reservoir Management and Reservoir Characterization to Optimize Infill Drilling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

P. K. Pande

1998-10-29

Initial drilling of wells on a uniform spacing, without regard to reservoir performance and characterization, must become a process of the past. Such efforts do not optimize reservoir development as they fail to account for the complex nature of reservoir heterogeneities present in many low permeability reservoirs, and carbonate reservoirs in particular. These reservoirs are typically characterized by: o Large, discontinuous pay intervals o Vertical and lateral changes in reservoir properties o Low reservoir energy o High residual oil saturation o Low recovery efficiency

Analysis of an accident of local zone control system of 'pressure loss in the compartment water supply reservoir'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catana, A.

2001-01-01

This work presents the aftermath of a failure in the Zonal Control System caused by an accident of 'pressure loss in the compartment water supply reservoir' leading to an operational function fault of the liquid zonal control system. Causes for pressure drop may be several, as for instance: simultaneous mechanical fault of the three pumps, class IV total loss of power, a crack of reservoir, etc. Should this accident happens the reactor is shut down automatically by the digital control computer, on the 'ZONE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE' setback condition. The analyses were done hypothesizing that the covering gas system is functioning at design parameters and that the only possible accident is the one of pressure loss in supply reservoir. By making use of the software system developed at INR Pitesti, we could make the analysis of the phenomena which take place and thus we could obtain the evolution of the main parameters, namely, neutron and thermohydraulic parameters, as well as the actuating mode of the control and safety systems. Thus, by assuming a pressure drop under 8. 27 bar the 'SETBACK' system is triggered with a final value of the neutron power of 2% FP which can be reached with a power variation rate of 0.00086 decade/sec (- 0.1%/sec). In conclusion, the main parameters evolve as follows: 1. the water level in compartments is 'frozen' at a level at which the pressure in the supply reservoir is 7.3 bar; 2. the mechanical rods are gradually inserted, one bank first and a second one if necessary; 3. the shim rods are fully inserted; 4. the systems of SDS1 and SDS2 scram systems remain unactuated; 5. after 10 minutes from the 'SETBACK' triggering, the neutron power is reduced under 4%; 6. the thermohydraulic parameters of the primary circuit are maintained at normal values; 7. the thermohydraulic parameters of the secondary circuit are maintained at normal values

Advanced Oil Recovery Technologies for Improved Recovery from Slope Basin Clastic Reservoirs, Nash Draw Brushy Canyon Pool, Eddy County, NM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murphy, Mark B.

1999-02-24

The Nash Draw Brushy Canyon Pool in Eddy County New Mexico is a cost-shared field demonstration project in the US Department of Energy Class II Program. A major goal of the Class III Program is to stimulate the use of advanced technologies to increase ultimate recovery from slope-basin clastic reservoirs. Advanced characterization techniques are being used at the Nash Draw project to develop reservoir management strategies for optimizing oil recovery from this Delaware reservoir. Analysis, interpretation, and integration of recently acquired geologic, geophysical, and engineering data revealed that the initial reservoir characterization was too simplistic to capture the critical features of this complex formation. Contrary to the initial characterization, a new reservoir description evolved that provided sufficient detail regarding the complexity of the Brushy Canyon interval at Nash Draw. This new reservoir description is being used as a risk reduction tool to identify ''sweet spots'' for a development drilling program as well as to evaluate pressure maintenance strategies. The reservoir characterization, geological modeling, 3-D seismic interpretation, and simulation studies have provided a detailed model of the Brushy Canyon zones. This model was used to predict the success of different reservoir management scenarios and to aid in determining the most favorable combination of targeted drilling, pressure maintenance, well simulation, and well spacing to improve recovery from this reservoir.

Performance modeling of an integral, self-regulating cesium reservoir for the ATI-TFE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thayer, K.L.; Ramalingam, M.L.; Young, T.J.

1993-01-01

This work covers the performance modeling of an integral metal-matrix cesium-graphite reservoir for operation in the Advanced Thermionic Initiative-Thermionic Fuel Element (ATI-TFE) converter configuration. The objectives of this task were to incorporate an intercalated cesium-graphite reservoir for the 3C 24 Cs→2C 36 Cs+Cs (g) two phase equilibrium reaction into the emitter lead region of the ATI-TFE. A semi two-dimensional, cylindrical TFE computer model was used to obtain thermal and electrical converter output characteristics for various reservoir locations. The results of this study are distributions for the interelectrode voltage, output current density, and output power density as a function of axial position along the TFE emitter. This analysis was accomplished by identifying an optimum cesium pressure for three representative pins in the ATI ''driverless'' reactor core and determining the corresponding position of the graphite reservoir in the ATI-TFE lead region. The position for placement of the graphite reservoir was determined by performing a first-order heat transfer analysis of the TFE lead region to determine its temperature distribution. The results of this analysis indicate that for the graphite reservoirs investigated the 3C 24 Cs→2C 36 Cs+Cs (g) equilibrium reaction reservoir is ideal for placement in the TFE emitter lead region. This reservoir can be directly coupled to the emitter, through conduction, to provide the desired cesium pressure for optimum performance. The cesium pressure corresponding to the optimum converter output performance was found to be 2.18 torr for the ATI core least power TFE, 2.92 torr for the average power TFE, and 4.93 torr for the maximum power TFE

Performance Analysis of Depleted Oil Reservoirs for Underground Gas Storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. C.I.C. Anyadiegwu

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The performance of underground gas storage in depleted oil reservoir was analysed with reservoir Y-19, a depleted oil reservoir in Southern region of the Niger Delta. Information on the geologic and production history of the reservoir were obtained from the available field data of the reservoir. The verification of inventory was done to establish the storage capacity of the reservoir. The plot of the well flowing pressure (Pwf against the flow rate (Q, gives the deliverability of the reservoir at various pressures. Results of the estimated properties signified that reservoir Y-19 is a good candidate due to its storage capacity and its flow rate (Q of 287.61 MMscf/d at a flowing pressure of 3900 psig

Development of gas and gas condensate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-12-01

In the study of gas reservoir development, the first year topics are restricted on reservoir characterization. There are two types of reservoir characterization. One is the reservoir formation characterization and the other is the reservoir fluid characterization. For the reservoir formation characterization, calculation of conditional simulation was compared with that of unconditional simulation. The results of conditional simulation has higher confidence level than the unconditional simulation because conditional simulation considers the sample location as well as distance correlation. In the reservoir fluid characterization, phase behavior calculations revealed that the component grouping is more important than the increase of number of components. From the liquid volume fraction with pressure drop, the phase behavior of reservoir fluid can be estimated. The calculation results of fluid recombination, constant composition expansion, and constant volume depletion are matched very well with the experimental data. In swelling test of the reservoir fluid with lean gas, the accuracy of dew point pressure forecast depends on the component characterization. (author). 28 figs., 10 tabs.

Environmental response nanosilica for reducing the pressure of water injection in ultra-low permeability reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Peisong; Niu, Liyong; Li, Xiaohong; Zhang, Zhijun

2017-12-01

The super-hydrophobic silica nanoparticles are applied to alter the wettability of rock surface from water-wet to oil-wet. The aim of this is to reduce injection pressure so as to enhance water injection efficiency in low permeability reservoirs. Therefore, a new type of environmentally responsive nanosilica (denote as ERS) is modified with organic compound containing hydrophobic groups and "pinning" groups by covalent bond and then covered with a layer of hydrophilic organic compound by chemical adsorption to achieve excellent water dispersibility. Resultant ERS is homogeneously dispersed in water with a size of about 4-8 nm like a micro-emulsion system and can be easily injected into the macro or nano channels of ultra-low permeability reservoirs. The hydrophobic nanosilica core can be released from the aqueous delivery system owing to its strong dependence on the environmental variation from normal condition to injection wells (such as pH and salinity). Then the exposed silica nanoparticles form a thin layer on the surface of narrow pore throat, leading to the wettability from water-wet to oil-wet. More importantly, the two rock cores with different permeability were surface treated with ERS dispersion with a concentration of 2 g/L, exhibit great reduce of water injection pressure by 57.4 and 39.6%, respectively, which shows great potential for exploitation of crude oil from ultra-low permeability reservoirs during water flooding. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Understanding the True Stimulated Reservoir Volume in Shale Reservoirs

KAUST Repository

Hussain, Maaruf

2017-06-06

Successful exploitation of shale reservoirs largely depends on the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing stimulation program. Favorable results have been attributed to intersection and reactivation of pre-existing fractures by hydraulically-induced fractures that connect the wellbore to a larger fracture surface area within the reservoir rock volume. Thus, accurate estimation of the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) becomes critical for the reservoir performance simulation and production analysis. Micro-seismic events (MS) have been commonly used as a proxy to map out the SRV geometry, which could be erroneous because not all MS events are related to hydraulic fracture propagation. The case studies discussed here utilized a fully 3-D simulation approach to estimate the SRV. The simulation approach presented in this paper takes into account the real-time changes in the reservoir\\'s geomechanics as a function of fluid pressures. It is consisted of four separate coupled modules: geomechanics, hydrodynamics, a geomechanical joint model for interfacial resolution, and an adaptive re-meshing. Reservoir stress condition, rock mechanical properties, and injected fluid pressure dictate how fracture elements could open or slide. Critical stress intensity factor was used as a fracture criterion governing the generation of new fractures or propagation of existing fractures and their directions. Our simulations were run on a Cray XC-40 HPC system. The studies outcomes proved the approach of using MS data as a proxy for SRV to be significantly flawed. Many of the observed stimulated natural fractures are stress related and very few that are closer to the injection field are connected. The situation is worsened in a highly laminated shale reservoir as the hydraulic fracture propagation is significantly hampered. High contrast in the in-situ stresses related strike-slip developed thereby shortens the extent of SRV. However, far field nature fractures that were not connected to

Cesium reservoir and interconnective components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-03-01

The program objective is to demonstrate the technology readiness of a TFE (thermionic fuel element) suitable for use as the basic element in a thermionic reactor with electric power output in the 0.5 to 5.0 MW range. A thermionic converter must be supplied with cesium vapor for two reasons. Cesium atoms adsorbed on the surface of the emitter cause a reduction of the emitter work function to permit high current densities without excessive heating of the emitter. The second purpose of the cesium vapor is to provide space-charge neutralization in the emitter-collector gap so that the high current densities may flow across the gap unattenuated. The function of the cesium reservoir is to provide a source of cesium atoms, and to provide a reserve in the event that cesium is lost from the plasma by any mechanism. This can be done with a liquid cesium metal reservoir in which case it is heated to the desired temperature with auxiliary heaters. In a TFE, however, it is desirable to have the reservoir passively heated by the nuclear fuel. In this case, the reservoir must operate at a temperature intermediate between the emitter and the collector, ruling out the use of liquid reservoirs. Integral reservoirs contained within the TFE will produce cesium vapor pressures in the desired range at typical electrode temperatures. The reservoir material that appears to be the best able to meet requirements is graphite. Cesium intercalates easily into graphite, and the cesium pressure is insensitive to loading for a given intercalation stage. The goals of the cesium reservoir test program were to verify the performance of Cs-graphite reservoirs in the temperature-pressure range of interest to TFE operation, and to test the operation of these reservoirs after exposure to a fast neutron fluence corresponding to seven year mission lifetime. In addition, other materials were evaluated for possible use in the integral reservoir

Characterization of biocenoses in the storage reservoirs of liquid radioactive wastes of Mayak PA. Initial descriptive report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pryakhin, E.A.; Mokrov, Yu.G.; Tryapitsina, G.A.; Ivanov, I.A.; Osipov, D.I.; Atamanyuk, N.I.; Deryabina, L.V.; Shaposhnikova, I.A.; Shishkina, E.A.; Obvintseva, N.A.; Egoreichenkov, E.A.; Styazhkina, E.V.; Osipova, O.F.; Mogilnikova, N.I.; Andreev, S.S.; Tarasov, O.V.; Geras'kin, S.A.; Trapeznikov, A.V.; Akleyev, A.V.

2016-01-01

As a result of operation of the Mayak Production Association (Mayak PA), Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, an enterprise for production and separation of weapon-grade plutonium in the Soviet Union, ecosystems of a number of water bodies have been radioactively contaminated. The article presents information about the current state of ecosystems of 6 special industrial storage reservoirs of liquid radioactive waste from Mayak PA: reservoirs R-3, R-4, R-9, R-10, R-11 and R-17. At present the excess of the radionuclide content in the water of the studied reservoirs and comparison reservoirs (Shershnyovskoye and Beloyarskoye reservoirs) is 9 orders of magnitude for 90 Sr and 137 Cs, and 6 orders of magnitude for alpha-emitting radionuclides. According to the level of radioactive contamination, the reservoirs of the Mayak PA could be arranged in the ascending order as follows: R-11, R-10, R-4, R-3, R-17 and R-9. In 2007–2012 research of the status of the biocenoses of these reservoirs in terms of phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacterioplankton, zoobenthos, aquatic plants, ichthyofauna, avifauna parameters was performed. The conducted studies revealed decrease in species diversity in reservoirs with the highest levels of radioactive and chemical contamination. This article is an initial descriptive report on the status of the biocenoses of radioactively contaminated reservoirs of the Mayak PA, and is the first article in a series of publications devoted to the studies of the reaction of biocenoses of the fresh-water reservoirs of the Mayak PA to a combination of natural and man-made factors, including chronic radiation exposure. - Highlights: • The current state of storage reservoirs of liquid radioactive waste of the Mayak Production Association is presented. • Radionuclides contents in water and sediments of the reservoirs of Mayak PA are presented. • The status of the major ecological groups of hydrobionts of the given reservoirs is described.

Capillary pressure - saturation relations for supercritical CO2 and brine: Implications for capillary/residual trapping in carbonate reservoirs during geologic carbon sequestration

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, S.; Tokunaga, T. K.

2014-12-01

In geologic carbon sequestration (GCS), data on capillary pressure (Pc) - saturation (Sw) relations are routinely needed to appraise reservoir processes. Capillarity and its hysteresis have been often experimentally studied in oil-water, gas-water and three phase gas-oil-water systems, but fewer works have been reported on scCO2-water under in-situ reservoir conditions. Here, Pc-Sw relations of supercritical (sc) CO2 displacing brine, and brine rewetting the porous medium to trap scCO2 were studied to understand CO2 transport and trapping behavior in carbonate reservoirs under representative reservoir conditions. High-quality drainage and imbibition (and associated capillary pressure hysteresis) curves were measured under elevated temperature and pressure (45 ºC, 8.5 and 12 MPa) for scCO2-brine as well as at room temperature and pressure (23 ºC, 0.1 MPa) for air-brine in unconsolidated limestone and dolomite sand columns using newly developed semi-automated multistep outflow-inflow porous plate apparatus. Drainage and imbibition curves for scCO2-brine deviated from the universal scaling curves for hydrophilic interactions (with greater deviation under higher pressure) and shifted to lower Pc than predicted based on interfacial tension (IFT) changes. Augmented scaling incorporating differences in IFT and contact angle improved the scaling results but the scaled curves still did not converge onto the universal curves. Equilibrium residual trapping of the nonwetting phase was determined at Pc =0 during imbibition. The capillary-trapped amounts of scCO2 were significantly larger than for air. It is concluded that the deviations from the universal capillary scaling curves are caused by scCO2-induced wettability alteration, given the fact that pore geometry remained constant and IFT is well constrained. In-situ wettability alteration by reactive scCO2 is of critical importance and must be accounted for to achieve reliable predictions of CO2 behavior in GCS reservoirs.

Incorporating Scale-Dependent Fracture Stiffness for Improved Reservoir Performance Prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, B. R.; Tsenn, M. C.; Homburg, J. M.; Stehle, R. C.; Freysteinson, J. A.; Reese, W. C.

2017-12-01

We present a novel technique for predicting dynamic fracture network response to production-driven changes in effective stress, with the potential for optimizing depletion planning and improving recovery prediction in stress-sensitive naturally fractured reservoirs. A key component of the method involves laboratory geomechanics testing of single fractures in order to develop a unique scaling relationship between fracture normal stiffness and initial mechanical aperture. Details of the workflow are as follows: tensile, opening mode fractures are created in a variety of low matrix permeability rocks with initial, unstressed apertures in the micrometer to millimeter range, as determined from image analyses of X-ray CT scans; subsequent hydrostatic compression of these fractured samples with synchronous radial strain and flow measurement indicates that both mechanical and hydraulic aperture reduction varies linearly with the natural logarithm of effective normal stress; these stress-sensitive single-fracture laboratory observations are then upscaled to networks with fracture populations displaying frequency-length and length-aperture scaling laws commonly exhibited by natural fracture arrays; functional relationships between reservoir pressure reduction and fracture network porosity, compressibility and directional permeabilities as generated by such discrete fracture network modeling are then exported to the reservoir simulator for improved naturally fractured reservoir performance prediction.

Simulation of the mulltizones clastic reservoir: A case study of Upper Qishn Clastic Member, Masila Basin-Yemen

Science.gov (United States)

Khamis, Mohamed; Marta, Ebrahim Bin; Al Natifi, Ali; Fattah, Khaled Abdel; Lashin, Aref

2017-06-01

The Upper Qishn Clastic Member is one of the main oil-bearing reservoirs that are located at Masila Basin-Yemen. It produces oil from many zones with different reservoir properties. The aim of this study is to simulate and model the Qishn sandstone reservoir to provide more understanding of its properties. The available, core plugs, petrophysical, PVT, pressure and production datasets, as well as the seismic structural and geologic information, are all integrated and used in the simulation process. Eclipse simulator was used as a powerful tool for reservoir modeling. A simplified approach based on a pseudo steady-state productivity index and a material balance relationship between the aquifer pressure and the cumulative influx, is applied. The petrophysical properties of the Qishn sandstone reservoir are mainly investigated based on the well logging and core plug analyses. Three reservoir zones of good hydrocarbon potentiality are indicated and named from above to below as S1A, S1C and S2. Among of these zones, the S1A zone attains the best petrophysical and reservoir quality properties. It has an average hydrocarbon saturation of more than 65%, high effective porosity up to 20% and good permeability record (66 mD). The reservoir structure is represented by faulted anticline at the middle of the study with a down going decrease in geometry from S1A zone to S2 zone. It is limited by NE-SW and E-W bounding faults, with a weak aquifer connection from the east. The analysis of pressure and PVT data has revealed that the reservoir fluid type is dead oil with very low gas liquid ratio (GLR). The simulation results indicate heterogeneous reservoir associated with weak aquifer, supported by high initial water saturation and high water cut. Initial oil in place is estimated to be around 628 MM BBL, however, the oil recovery during the period of production is very low (<10%) because of the high water cut due to the fractures associated with many faults. Hence, secondary and

Behaviour of gas production from type 3 hydrate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pooladi-Darvish, M. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering]|[Fekete Associates Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada); Zatsepina, O. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering; Hong, H. [Fekete Associates Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2008-07-01

The possible role of gas hydrates as a potential energy resource was discussed with particular reference to methods for estimating the rate of gas production from hydrate reservoirs under different operating conditions. This paper presented several numerical simulations studies of gas production from type 3 hydrate reservoirs in 1-D and 2-D geometries. Type 3 reservoirs include gas production from hydrate-reservoirs that lie totally within the hydrate stability zone and are sandwiched by impermeable layers on top and bottom. The purpose of this study was to better understand hydrate decomposition by depressurization. The study questioned whether 1-D modeling of type 3 hydrate reservoirs is a reasonable approximation. It also determined whether gas rate increases or decreases with time. The important reservoir characteristics for determining the rate of gas production were identified. Last, the study determined how competition between fluid and heat flow affects hydrate decomposition. This paper also described the relation and interaction between the heat and fluid flow mechanisms in depressurization of type 3 hydrate reservoirs. All results of 1-D and 2-D numerical simulation and analyses were generated using the STARS simulator. It was shown that the rate of gas production depends on the initial pressure/temperature conditions and permeability of the hydrate bearing formation. A high peak rate may be achieved under favourable conditions, but this peak rate is obtained after an initial period where the rate of gas production increases with time. The heat transfer in the direction perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow is significant, requiring 2D modeling. The hydraulic diffusivity is low because of the low permeability of hydrate-bearing formations. This could result in competition between heat and fluid flow, thereby influencing the behaviour of decomposition. 6 refs., 3 tabs., 12 figs.

Modelling and simulation of compressible fluid flow in oil reservoir: a case study of the Jubilee Field, Tano Basin (Ghana)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gawusu, S.

2015-07-01

Oil extraction represents an important investment and the control of a rational exploitation of a field means mastering various scientific techniques including the understanding of the dynamics of fluids in place. This thesis presents a theoretical investigation of the dynamic behaviour of an oil reservoir during its exploitation. The study investigated the dynamics of fluid flow patterns in a homogeneous oil reservoir using the Radial Diffusivity Equation (RDE) as well as two phase oil-water flow equations. The RDE model was solved analytically and numerically for pressure using the Constant Terminal Rate Solution (CTRS) and the fully implicit Finite Difference Method (FDM) respectively. The mathematical derivations of the models and their solution procedures were presented to allow for easy utilization of the techniques for reservoir and engineering applications. The study predicted that the initial oil reservoir pressure will be able to do the extraction for a very long time before any other recovery method will be used to aid in the extraction process depending on the rate of production. Reservoir simulation describing a one dimensional radial flow of a compressible fluid in porous media may be adequately performed using ordinary laptop computers as revealed by the study. For the simulation of MATLAB, the case of the Jubilee Fields, Tano Basin was studied, an algorithm was developed for the simulation of pressure in the reservoir. It ensues from the analysis of the plots of pressure vrs time and space that the Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA) was duly followed. The approximate solutions of the analytical and numerical solutions to the Radial Diffusivity Equation (RDE) were in excellent agreement, thus the reservoir simulation model developed can be used to describe typical pressure-time relationships that are used in conventional Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA). The study was extended to two phase oil-water flow in reservoirs. The flow of fluids in multi

Using reservoir engineering data to solve geological ambiguities : a case study of one of the Iranian carbonate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kord, S. [National Iranian South Oil Co. (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2006-07-01

A fractured carbonate reservoir in southwest Iran was studied with reference to reserve estimation, risk analysis, material balance and recovery factor. The 40 km long and 4 km wide reservoir consists of 2 parts with crest depths of 3780 and 3749 mss respectively. The eastern part is smaller and more productive than the western part which has high water saturation and absolutely no production. Economic production from the reservoir began in 1977. By 2004, the cumulative production had reached 12.064 MMSTB. Of the 6 wells drilled, only 2 wells in the eastern part are productive. This study addressed the main uncertainty of whether the 2 parts of the reservoir are sealed or not. The reservoir is under-saturated but the current pressure is near saturation pressure. The reservoir is divided into the following 4 zones: zones 1 and 2 are productive and consist mainly of carbonate rocks; zone 3 has thin beds of sand and shale; and, zone 4 consists of layers of carbonate, shale, marn, and dolomite. Although there are no faults, mud loss suggests that the reservoir has hairline fractures. Oil in place and reserves were estimated for both parts based on calculated reservoir engineering parameters. Material balance calculations were then performed to analyze and simulate the reservoir. The communication between the 2 parts of the reservoir were examined according to core analysis, rock type, fluid characterization, pressure analysis, water-oil contacts, production history and petrophysical evaluations. The porosity was found to be the same in both parts, but the water saturation and net to gross ratios were different between the eastern and western parts. The petrophysical evaluation revealed that there is no communication between the two parts of the reservoir. 4 refs., 2 figs., 2 appendices.

Gravitational collapse from smooth initial data with vanishing radial pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahajan, Ashutosh; Goswami, Rituparno; Joshi, Pankaj S

2005-01-01

We study here the spherical gravitational collapse assuming initial data to be necessarily smooth, as motivated by requirements based on physical reasonableness. A tangential pressure model is constructed and analysed in order to understand the final fate of collapse explicitly in terms of the density and pressure parameters at the initial epoch from which the collapse develops. It is seen that both black holes and naked singularities are produced as collapse end states even when the initial data are smooth. We show that the outcome is decided entirely in terms of the initial data, as given by density, pressure and velocity profiles at the initial epoch, from which the collapse evolves

Time lapse seismic observations and effects of reservoir compressibility at Teal South oil field

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, Nayyer

corrected for, indicate water encroachment at the base of the producing reservoir. I also identify specific sites of leakage from various unproduced reservoirs, the result of regional pressure blowdown as explained in previous studies; those earlier studies, however, were unable to identify direct evidence of fluid movement. Of particular interest is the identification of one site where oil apparently leaked from one reservoir into a "new" reservoir that did not originally contain oil, but was ideally suited as a trap for fluids leaking from the neighboring spill-point. With continued pressure drop, oil in the new reservoir increased as more oil entered into the reservoir and expanded, liberating gas from solution. Because of the limited volume available for oil and gas in that temporary trap, oil and gas also escaped from it into the surrounding formation. I also note that some of the reservoirs demonstrate time-lapse changes only in the "gas cap" and not in the oil zone, even though gas must be coming out of solution everywhere in the reservoir. This is explained by interplay between pore-fluid modulus reduction by gas saturation decrease and dry-frame modulus increase by frame stiffening. In the second part of this work, I examine various rock-physics models in an attempt to quantitatively account for frame-stiffening that results from reduced pore-fluid pressure in the producing reservoir, searching for a model that would predict the unusual AVO features observed in the time-lapse prestack and stacked data at Teal South. While several rock-physics models are successful at predicting the time-lapse response for initial production, most fail to match the observations for continued production between Phase I and Phase II. Because the reservoir was initially overpressured and unconsolidated, reservoir compaction was likely significant, and is probably accomplished largely by uniaxial strain in the vertical direction; this implies that an anisotropic model may be required

Pore Characterization of Shale Rock and Shale Interaction with Fluids at Reservoir Pressure-Temperature Conditions Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, M.; Hjelm, R.; Watkins, E.; Xu, H.; Pawar, R.

2015-12-01

Oil/gas produced from unconventional reservoirs has become strategically important for the US domestic energy independence. In unconventional realm, hydrocarbons are generated and stored in nanopores media ranging from a few to hundreds of nanometers. Fundamental knowledge of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes that control fluid flow and propagation within nano-pore confinement is critical for maximizing unconventional oil/gas production. The size and confinement of the nanometer pores creates many complex rock-fluid interface interactions. It is imperative to promote innovative experimental studies to decipher physical and chemical processes at the nanopore scale that govern hydrocarbon generation and mass transport of hydrocarbon mixtures in tight shale and other low permeability formations at reservoir pressure-temperature conditions. We have carried out laboratory investigations exploring quantitative relationship between pore characteristics of the Wolfcamp shale from Western Texas and the shale interaction with fluids at reservoir P-T conditions using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). We have performed SANS measurements of the shale rock in single fluid (e.g., H2O and D2O) and multifluid (CH4/(30% H2O+70% D2O)) systems at various pressures up to 20000 psi and temperature up to 150 oF. Figure 1 shows our SANS data at different pressures with H2O as the pressure medium. Our data analysis using IRENA software suggests that the principal changes of pore volume in the shale occurred on smaller than 50 nm pores and pressure at 5000 psi (Figure 2). Our results also suggest that with increasing P, more water flows into pores; with decreasing P, water is retained in the pores.

Reservoir Characterization, Production Characteristics, and Research Needs for Fluvial/Alluvial Reservoirs in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, E.L.; Fowler, M.L.; Jackson, S.R.; Madden, M.P.; Raw-Schatzinger, V.; Salamy, S.P.; Sarathi, P.; Young, M.A.

1999-04-28

The Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oil Recovery Field Demonstration Program was initiated in 1992 to maximize the economically and environmentally sound recovery of oil from known domestic reservoirs and to preserve access to this resource. Cost-shared field demonstration projects are being initiated in geology defined reservoir classes which have been prioritized by their potential for incremental recovery and their risk of abandonment. This document defines the characteristics of the fifth geological reservoir class in the series, fluvial/alluvial reservoirs. The reservoirs of Class 5 include deposits of alluvial fans, braided streams, and meandering streams. Deposit morphologies vary as a complex function of climate and tectonics and are characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity to fluid flow as a result of extreme variations in water energy as the deposits formed.

A comparison between the pressure-lag model and the rate-type model for the prediction of reservoir compaction and surface subsidence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smits, R.M.M.; De Waal, J.A.

1988-06-01

A theoretical study has been carried out to investigate whether the nonlinear compaction behavior of sandstone reservoirs, which has been reported for most well-documented field cases, can be explained by pressure lags in interbedding and/or neighboring low-permeability (shale) layers. On the basis of the results obtained, it is concluded that pressure-lag effects in normally encountered production scenarios cannot account for these nonlinearities, even under worst-case conditions. Therefore, the nonlinear field-compaction behavior must be caused by rate effects in the sandstone reservoir rock itself. This is supported by the fact that a rate-type compaction model recently introduced does indeed give a good description of the observed field behavior.

The Influence of Seal Properties on Pressure Buildup and Leakage of Carbon Dioxide from Sequestration Reservoirs (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, S. M.; Chabora, E.

2009-12-01

The transport properties of seals, namely permeability, relative permeability, and capillary pressure control both migration of carbon dioxide and brine through the seal. Only recently has the the importance of brine migration emerged as key issue in the environmental performance of carbon dioxide sequestration projects. In this study we use numerical simulation to show that brine migration through the seal can be either advantageous or deleterious to the environmental performance of a carbon dioxide sequestration project. Brine migration through the seal can lower the pressure buildup in the storage reservoir, thereby reducing the risk of leakage or geomechanical stresses on the seal. On the other hand, if the seal is penetrated by a permeable fault it can lead to focused flow up a fault, which could lead to brine migration into drinking water aquifers. We also show that as the carbon dioxide plume grows, brine flow undergoes a complex evolution from upward flow to downward flows driven by countercurrent migration of carbon dioxide and brine in the seal and capillary pressure gradients at the base of the seal. Finally, we discuss desirable attributes seals, taking into account both carbon dioxide and brine migration through the seal. In particular, identifying seals that provide an effective capillary barrier to block the flow of carbon dioxide while allowing some brine migration through the seal can help to control pressure buildup and allow more efficient utilization of a sequestration reservoir. This could be particularly important in those settings that may be limited by the maximum allowable pressure buildup.

The persistence of natural CO2 accumulations over millennial timescales: Integrating noble gas and reservoir data at Bravo Dome, NM

Science.gov (United States)

Akhbari, D.

2017-12-01

Bravo Dome, the largest CO2 reservoir in the US, is a hydrogeologically closed system that has stored a very large amount of CO2 on millennial time scales. The pre-production gas pressures in Bravo Dome indicate that the reservoir is highly under-pressured and is divided into separate pressure compartments that do not communicate hydrologically. Previous studies used the noble gas composition at Bravo Dome to constrain the amount of dissolved CO2 into the brine. This CO2 dissolution into brine plays an important role in the observed under-pressure at the reservoir. However, the dissolution rates and transport mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we are looking into reservoir pressures and noble gas composition in the northeastern section of the reservoir to constrain timescales of CO2 dissolution. We are interested in northeastern part of the reservoir because the largest amount of CO2 was dissolved into brine in this section. Also, we specifically look into the evolution of the CO2/3He and 20Ne concentration during convective CO2 dissolution at Bravo Dome. 20Ne has atmospheric origin and is initially in the brine, while 3He and CO2 have magmatic sources and were introduced with the gas. CO2/3He decreases as more CO2 dissolves into brine, due to the higher solubility of CO2 compare to that of 3He. However, 20Ne concentration in the gas increases due to exsolution of 20Ne from brine into the gas phase. We present 2D numerical simulation that demonstrate the persistence of CO2 over 1Ma and reproduce the observed reservoir pressures and noble gas compositions. Our results indicate that convection is required to produce observed changes in gas composition. But diffusion makes a significant contribution to mass transport.

Liquid oil production from shale gas condensate reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, James J.

2018-04-03

A process of producing liquid oil from shale gas condensate reservoirs and, more particularly, to increase liquid oil production by huff-n-puff in shale gas condensate reservoirs. The process includes performing a huff-n-puff gas injection mode and flowing the bottom-hole pressure lower than the dew point pressure.

Calibration of Seismic Attributes for Reservoir Characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pennington, Wayne D.; Acevedo, Horacio; Green, Aaron; Len, Shawn; Minavea, Anastasia; Wood, James; Xie, Deyi

2002-01-29

This project has completed the initially scheduled third year of the contract, and is beginning a fourth year, designed to expand upon the tech transfer aspects of the project. From the Stratton data set, demonstrated that an apparent correlation between attributes derived along `phantom' horizons are artifacts of isopach changes; only if the interpreter understands that the interpretation is based on this correlation with bed thickening or thinning, can reliable interpretations of channel horizons and facies be made. From the Boonsville data set , developed techniques to use conventional seismic attributes, including seismic facies generated under various neural network procedures, to subdivide regional facies determined from logs into productive and non-productive subfacies, and developed a method involving cross-correlation of seismic waveforms to provide a reliable map of the various facies present in the area. The Teal South data set provided a surprising set of data, leading us to develop a pressure-dependent velocity relationship and to conclude that nearby reservoirs are undergoing a pressure drop in response to the production of the main reservoir, implying that oil is being lost through their spill points, never to be produced. The Wamsutter data set led to the use of unconventional attributes including lateral incoherence and horizon-dependent impedance variations to indicate regions of former sand bars and current high pressure, respectively, and to evaluation of various upscaling routines.

The effect of initial pressure on detonation propagation across a mixture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yao-Chung Hsu

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study determines the effect of the initial pressure on the propagation of a Chapman–Jouguet detonation wave from a stoichiometric C3H8/O2 mixture (donor to a stoichiometric C3H8/air mixture (acceptor. Depending on the initial pressure ratio in the donor and the acceptor, the result can be a smooth transmission, a re-initiated detonation wave, or a transmitted shock wave. When the donor is divided into a driver donor and a driven donor, the degree of overdrive in a driven donor varies with the donor pressure ratio. There must be a greater degree of overdrive in the driven donor for re-initiation of a detonation wave in the acceptor, particularly if the initial pressure in the driven donor is lower than the Chapman–Jouguet pressure in the acceptor. The bi-dimensional effect is also another major factor.

Radiofrequency initiation and radiofrequency sustainment of laser initiated seeded high pressure plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paller, Eric S.; Scharer, John E.; Akhtar, Kamran; Kelly, Kurt; Ding, Guowen

2001-01-01

We examine radiofrequency initiation of high pressure(1-70 Torr) inductive plasma discharges in argon, nitrogen, air and organic seed gas mixtures. Millimeter wave interferometry, optical emission and antenna wave impedance measurements for double half-turn helix and helical inductive antennas are used to interpret the rf/plasma coupling, measure the densities in the range of 10 12 cm -3 and analyze the ionization and excited states of the gas mixtures. We have also carried out 193 nm excimer laser initiation of an organic gas seed plasma which is sustained at higher pressures(150 Torr) by radiofrequency coupling at 2.8 kW power levels

Recovery by imbibition from the lower Tamaulipas reservoir section A, Tamaulipas-Constituciones field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez, O D; Teyssier S, J

1967-08-01

The Tamaulipas-Constituciones Field is situated about 27 km from the city and port of Tampico, Mex., and is a part of the N. district, of the N. Development Zone of Petroleos Mexicanos. This article describes a method designed to calculate the recovery of oil by means of the application of a secondary recovery process based on the phenomenon of imbibition. The flow in the reservoir follows a system of fractures which are interconnected both in series, parallel, and randomly distributed. A more adequate method of development was determined than that which was enforced when the area wells started their initial production. Applying this method, 2 programs were developed; the first for an operation pressure of 125 kg per sq cm and the second for an operation pressure of 100 kg per cm. The production history is graphically represented. The characteristics of the reservoir are described, including the rock properties and the reservoir fluids. Complete information is furnished on the entire operation by means of tabular data. (15 refs.)

Thermodynamic Calculations of Hydrogen-Oxygen Detonation Parameters for Various Initial Pressures

Science.gov (United States)

Bollinger, Loren E.; Edse, Rudolph

1961-01-01

Composition, temperature, pressure and density behind a stable detonation wave and its propagation rate have been calculated for seven hydrogen-oxygen mixture at 1, 5, 25 and 100 atm initial pressure, and at an initial temperature of 40C. For stoichiometric mixtures that calculations also include an initial temperature of 200C. According to these calculations the detonation velocities of hydrogen-oxygen mixtures increase with increasing initial pressure, but decrease slightly when the initial temperature is raised from 40 to 200 C. The calculated detonation velocities agree satisfactorily with values determined experimentally. These values will be published in the near future.

Tailored ramp-loading via shock release of stepped-density reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prisbrey, Shon T.; Park, Hye-Sook; Remington, Bruce A.; Cavallo, Robert; May, Mark; Pollaine, Stephen M.; Rudd, Robert; Maddox, Brian; Comley, Andrew; Fried, Larry; Blobaum, Kerri; Wallace, Russ; Wilson, Mike; Swift, David; Satcher, Joe; Kalantar, Dan; Perry, Ted; Giraldez, Emilio; Farrell, Michael; Nikroo, Abbas

2012-01-01

The concept of a gradient piston drive has been extended from that of a single component reservoir, such as a high explosive, to that of a multi-component reservoir that utilizes low density foams and large shocks to achieve high pressures (∼3.5 mbar) and controlled pressure vs. time profiles on a driven sample. Simulated and experimental drives shaped through the use of multiple component (including carbonized resorcinol formaldehyde and SiO 2 foam) reservoirs are compared. Individual density layers in a multiple component reservoir are shown to correlate with velocity features in the measured drive which enables the ability to tune a pressure drive by adjusting the components of the reservoir. Pre-shot simulations are shown to be in rough agreement with the data, but post-shot simulations involving the use of simulated plasma drives were needed to achieve an exact match. Results from a multiple component reservoir shot (∼3.5 mbar) at the National Ignition Facility are shown.

Parallel Numerical Simulations of Water Reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Pedro; Mangiavacchi, Norberto

2010-11-01

The study of the water flow and scalar transport in water reservoirs is important for the determination of the water quality during the initial stages of the reservoir filling and during the life of the reservoir. For this scope, a parallel 2D finite element code for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations coupled with scalar transport was implemented using the message-passing programming model, in order to perform simulations of hidropower water reservoirs in a computer cluster environment. The spatial discretization is based on the MINI element that satisfies the Babuska-Brezzi (BB) condition, which provides sufficient conditions for a stable mixed formulation. All the distributed data structures needed in the different stages of the code, such as preprocessing, solving and post processing, were implemented using the PETSc library. The resulting linear systems for the velocity and the pressure fields were solved using the projection method, implemented by an approximate block LU factorization. In order to increase the parallel performance in the solution of the linear systems, we employ the static condensation method for solving the intermediate velocity at vertex and centroid nodes separately. We compare performance results of the static condensation method with the approach of solving the complete system. In our tests the static condensation method shows better performance for large problems, at the cost of an increased memory usage. Performance results for other intensive parts of the code in a computer cluster are also presented.

Simulating the gas hydrate production test at Mallik using the pilot scale pressure reservoir LARS

Science.gov (United States)

Heeschen, Katja; Spangenberg, Erik; Schicks, Judith M.; Priegnitz, Mike; Giese, Ronny; Luzi-Helbing, Manja

2014-05-01

LARS, the LArge Reservoir Simulator, allows for one of the few pilot scale simulations of gas hydrate formation and dissociation under controlled conditions with a high resolution sensor network to enable the detection of spatial variations. It was designed and built within the German project SUGAR (submarine gas hydrate reservoirs) for sediment samples with a diameter of 0.45 m and a length of 1.3 m. During the project, LARS already served for a number of experiments simulating the production of gas from hydrate-bearing sediments using thermal stimulation and/or depressurization. The latest test simulated the methane production test from gas hydrate-bearing sediments at the Mallik test site, Canada, in 2008 (Uddin et al., 2011). Thus, the starting conditions of 11.5 MPa and 11°C and environmental parameters were set to fit the Mallik test site. The experimental gas hydrate saturation of 90% of the total pore volume (70 l) was slightly higher than volumes found in gas hydrate-bearing formations in the field (70 - 80%). However, the resulting permeability of a few millidarcy was comparable. The depressurization driven gas production at Mallik was conducted in three steps at 7.0 MPa - 5.0 MPa - 4.2 MPa all of which were used in the laboratory experiments. In the lab the pressure was controlled using a back pressure regulator while the confining pressure was stable. All but one of the 12 temperature sensors showed a rapid decrease in temperature throughout the sediment sample, which accompanied the pressure changes as a result of gas hydrate dissociation. During step 1 and 2 they continued up to the point where gas hydrate stability was regained. The pressure decreases and gas hydrate dissociation led to highly variable two phase fluid flow throughout the duration of the simulated production test. The flow rates were measured continuously (gas) and discontinuously (liquid), respectively. Next to being discussed here, both rates were used to verify a model of gas

Reservoir Characterization and CO2 Plume Migration Modeling Based on Bottom-hole Pressure Data: An Example from the AEP Mountaineer Geological Storage Project

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Srikanta; Kelley, Mark; Oruganti, YagnaDeepika; Bhattacharya, Indra; Spitznogle, Gary

2014-05-01

We present an integrated approach for formation permeability estimation, front tracking, reservoir model calibration, and plume migration modeling based on injection rate and down-hole pressure data from CO2 geologic sequestration projects. The data are taken from the 20 MW CO2 capture and storage project at American Electric Power's Mountaineer Plant in West Virginia, USA. The Mountaineer CO2 injection system consists of two injection wells - one in the Copper Ridge Dolomite formation and one in the Rose Run sandstone formation, and three deep observation wells that were operational between October 2009 and May 2011. Approximately 27000 MT and 10000 MT were injected into the Copper Ridge dolomite formation and Rose Run sandstone formation, respectively. A wealth of pressure and rate data from injection and observation wells is available covering a series of injection and pressure falloff events. The methodology developed and applied for interpreting and integrating the data during reservoir analysis and modeling from the Rose Run formation is the subject of this paper. For the analysis of transient pressure data at the injection and observation wells, the CO2 storage reservoir is conceptualized as a radial composite system, where the inner (invaded) zone consists of both supercritical CO2 and brine, and the outer (uninvaded) zone consists of undisturbed brine. Using established analytical solutions for analyzing fluid injection problems in the petroleum reservoir engineering literature, we show how the late-time pressure derivative response from both injection and observation wells will be identical - reflecting the permeability-thickness product of the undisturbed brine-filled formation. We also show how the expanding CO2 plume affects the "effective" compressibility that can be estimated by history matching injection-falloff data and how this can be used to develop a relationship between the plume radius and "effective" compressibility. This provides a novel non

Performance analysis for an irreversible variable temperature heat reservoir closed intercooled regenerated Brayton cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Wenhua; Chen Lingen; Sun Fengrui; Wu Chih

2003-01-01

In this paper, the theory of finite time thermodynamics is used in the performance analysis of an irreversible closed intercooled regenerated Brayton cycle coupled to variable temperature heat reservoirs. The analytical formulae for dimensionless power and efficiency, as functions of the total pressure ratio, the intercooling pressure ratio, the component (regenerator, intercooler, hot and cold side heat exchangers) effectivenesses, the compressor and turbine efficiencies and the thermal capacity rates of the working fluid and the heat reservoirs, the pressure recovery coefficients, the heat reservoir inlet temperature ratio, and the cooling fluid in the intercooler and the cold side heat reservoir inlet temperature ratio, are derived. The intercooling pressure ratio is optimized for optimal power and optimal efficiency, respectively. The effects of component (regenerator, intercooler and hot and cold side heat exchangers) effectivenesses, the compressor and turbine efficiencies, the pressure recovery coefficients, the heat reservoir inlet temperature ratio and the cooling fluid in the intercooler and the cold side heat reservoir inlet temperature ratio on optimal power and its corresponding intercooling pressure ratio, as well as optimal efficiency and its corresponding intercooling pressure ratio are analyzed by detailed numerical examples. When the heat transfers between the working fluid and the heat reservoirs are executed ideally, the pressure drop losses are small enough to be neglected and the thermal capacity rates of the heat reservoirs are infinite, the results of this paper replicate those obtained in recent literature

Calibration of Seismic Attributes for Reservoir Characterization; ANNUAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennington, Wayne D.; Acevedo, Horacio; Green, Aaron; Len, Shawn; Minavea, Anastasia; Wood, James; Xie, Deyi

2002-01-01

This project has completed the initially scheduled third year of the contract, and is beginning a fourth year, designed to expand upon the tech transfer aspects of the project. From the Stratton data set, demonstrated that an apparent correlation between attributes derived along 'phantom' horizons are artifacts of isopach changes; only if the interpreter understands that the interpretation is based on this correlation with bed thickening or thinning, can reliable interpretations of channel horizons and facies be made. From the Boonsville data set , developed techniques to use conventional seismic attributes, including seismic facies generated under various neural network procedures, to subdivide regional facies determined from logs into productive and non-productive subfacies, and developed a method involving cross-correlation of seismic waveforms to provide a reliable map of the various facies present in the area. The Teal South data set provided a surprising set of data, leading us to develop a pressure-dependent velocity relationship and to conclude that nearby reservoirs are undergoing a pressure drop in response to the production of the main reservoir, implying that oil is being lost through their spill points, never to be produced. The Wamsutter data set led to the use of unconventional attributes including lateral incoherence and horizon-dependent impedance variations to indicate regions of former sand bars and current high pressure, respectively, and to evaluation of various upscaling routines

Effects of different block size distributions in pressure transient response of naturally fractured reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montazeri, G.H. [Islamic Azad University, Mahshahr (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering], E-mail: montazeri_gh@yahoo.com; Tahami, S.A. [Mad Daneshgostar Tabnak Co. (MDT),Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moradi, B.; Safari, E. [Iranian Central Oil Fields Co, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], E-mail: morady.babak@gmail.com

2011-07-15

This paper presents a model for pressure transient and derivative analysis for naturally fractured reservoirs by a formulation of inter porosity flow incorporating variations in matrix block size, which is inversely related to fracture intensity. Geologically realistic Probability Density Functions (PDFs) of matrix block size, such as uniform, bimodal, linear and exponential distributions, are examined and pseudo-steady-state and transient models for inter porosity flow are assumed. The results have been physically interpreted, and, despite results obtained by other authors, it was found that the shape of pressure derivative curves for different PDFs are basically identical within some ranges of block size variability, inter porosity skin, PDFs parameters and matrix storage capacity. This tool can give an insight on the distribution of block sizes and shapes, together with other sources of information such as Logs and geological observations. (author)

The influence of initial pressure on the characteristics of conical bubble sonoluminescence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Shoujie, E-mail: heshouj@hbu.edu.cn [Hebei Key Laboratory of Optic-electronic Information and Materials, College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China); Ha, Jing [Institute of Science, Hebei Agriculture University, Baoding 071001 (China); Duan, Pingguang [Hebei Key Laboratory of Optic-electronic Information and Materials, College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China)

2015-12-18

Based on a conical bubble U-tube, conical bubble sonoluminescence was investigated by using pure water as the working medium. Intense cavitation luminescence can be obtained. With the decrease in initial pressure inside the bubble, the intensity and duration of light emission increased. The spectrum is mainly composed of the spectral bands of H{sub 2}O at the initial pressure of 1000 Pa. With the decrease in initial pressure, a broad continuum background spectrum that is well fitted by blackbody radiation can be detected, on which several spectral bands emitted by water molecules are superimposed. A higher temperature inside the bubble can be obtained with the decrease in initial pressure. Moreover, the intensity of the continuum background spectrum becomes more dominant compared with that of H{sub 2}O emission bands. Finally, we conclude that blackbody radiation and molecular emission contribute to luminescence of conical bubble cavitation. Moreover, the initial pressure inside the conical bubble significantly affects the emission mechanism of conical bubble sonoluminescence. - Highlights: • The spectra and light pulses of CBL are investigated in pure water. • The continuum background spectrum becomes more dominant with decrease of initial pressure. • The mechanism of CBL depends on the initial pressure of bubble. • Blackbody radiation and molecular emission contribute to luminescence of conical bubble cavitation.

Veins in Paleo-reservoir as a Natural Indication of Coupled Changes in Pore Pressure and Stress, Salt Wash Graben of SE Utah, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Gwon, S.; Edwards, P.; Kim, Y. S.

2015-12-01

Hydrofracturing associated with elevated fluid pressure coupled with changes in stress has been crucial in enhancing the production and recovery of hydrocarbons. Furthermore, it is also an important issue to access the efficiency and stability of long-term CO2 geologic storage reservoirs. Veins are mineral-filled extension fractures developed along the plane of σ1-σ2 and perpendicular to σ3, and the fluid pressure must exceed σ3applied to the plane when the vein opens. Therefore, vein is a well-known natural analogue for fluid migration in a paleo-reservoir. In the Salt Wash Graben of SE Utah, CO2-charged vein systems hosted in the bleached Entrada Formation are well developed and examined to understand the conditions of fluid pressure and stress during the injections of CO2-charged fluid. Based on color and relative cross-cutting relationship in the field, veins are subdivided into two sets; sub-vertical black mineral-rich veins and orthogonal calcite veins that have previously been described as 'grid-lock fractures'. The vein distribution and fluid leakage along through-going fractures in mechanic units allow us to determine the stress regime and driving stress condition through 3D-Mohr circle reconstruction. The results of this statistical analysis for the veins show that the orthogonal veins indicate a 'stress transition' with maximum principal stress direction changing from vertical to NNW-SSE sub-horizontal which coincides with the current regional stress regime. The possible causes of the stress transition can be considered. The process of repeated sealing, reactivation and localization of veins within the bleached zone is a natural indication of a coupled change in pore pressure and stress in the reservoir. Thus, an understanding of the effect of stress changes due to the volumetric injection of CO2 in the subsurface as well as a knowledge of how pre-existing fractures affect fluid flow with respect to elevated pore pressures in layered rocks are

Tidal phenomena in reservoirs; Fenomeno de mare em reservatorios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinilla Cortes, John Freddy

1997-06-01

This work models the oceanic tidal effect on reservoirs by coupling geomechanic principles with equations for fluid in a deformable porous media. The coupling revealed the importance of establishing properly the system compressibility under the various possible configurations of the loading system. The basic models for infinite reservoir, constant outer-pressure reservoir and closed reservoir were considered. It was verified that it was possible to apply the superposition of effects on the solution for the basic models by carrying a simple transformation on the solution variable. The problem was treated by in the context of test analysis, concerning dimensionless form of variables and the inclusion of well effects. The solution for the infinite reservoir including tidal effects. The solution for the infinite reservoir including tidal effects was obtained in the Laplace space and was inverted numerically by using Crump's routine. The results were incorporated to conventional type curves, and were validated by comparison with real and simulated pressure test data. Finally, alternate practices were suggested to integrate the well test analysis in reservoirs affected by the tidal effect. (author)

The model coupling fluid flow in reservoir with flow in horizontal wellbore

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Xiangping; Jiang, Zhixiang [RIPED-TEXACO Horizontal Well Technology Laboratory (United States)

1998-12-31

Three-dimensional pressure distributions of oil flow in a reservoir with horizontal well were derived, and a new formula to calculate pressure drop along the horizontal wellbore was developed based on the principle of conservation of matter and momentum. The formula considers the effect of influx into the horizontal wellbore from the reservoir on pressure drop in the wellbore. A mathematical model to couple fluid flow in the reservoir with flow in the horizontal wellbore is presented. Model results and experimental data showed good correspondence. Results showed the influence of pressure drop on well performance. 13 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs.

49 CFR 229.31 - Main reservoir tests.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... appropriately safe environment. (d) Each aluminum main reservoir before being placed in use and at intervals... working pressure fixed by the chief mechanical officer. The test date, place, and pressure shall be... be subjected to a hydrostatic pressure of at least 25 percent more than the maximum working pressure...

Determination of Pore Pressure from Sonic Log: a Case Study on One of Iran Carbonate Reservoir Rocks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morteza Azadpour

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Pore pressureis defined as the pressure of the fluid inside the pore space of the formation, which is also known as the formation pressure. When the pore pressure is higher than hydrostatic pressure, it is referred to as overpressure. Knowledge of this pressure is essential for cost-effective drilling, safe well planning, and efficient reservoir modeling. The main objective of this study is to estimate the formation pore pressure as a reliable mud weight pressure using well log data at one of oil fields in the south of Iran. To obtain this goal, the formation pore pressure is estimated from well logging data by applying Eaton’s prediction method with some modifications. In this way, sonic transient time trend line is separated by lithology changes and recalibrated by Weakley’s approach. The created sonic transient time is used to create an overlay pore pressure based on Eaton’s method and is led to pore pressure determination. The results are compared with the pore pressure estimated from commonly used methods such as Eaton’s and Bowers’s methods. The determined pore pressure from Weakley’s approach shows some improvements in comparison with Eaton’s method. However, the results of Bowers’s method, in comparison with the other two methods, show relatively better agreement with the mud weight pressure values.

Analysis and application of classification methods of complex carbonate reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiongyan; Qin, Ruibao; Ping, Haitao; Wei, Dan; Liu, Xiaomei

2018-06-01

There are abundant carbonate reservoirs from the Cenozoic to Mesozoic era in the Middle East. Due to variation in sedimentary environment and diagenetic process of carbonate reservoirs, several porosity types coexist in carbonate reservoirs. As a result, because of the complex lithologies and pore types as well as the impact of microfractures, the pore structure is very complicated. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately calculate the reservoir parameters. In order to accurately evaluate carbonate reservoirs, based on the pore structure evaluation of carbonate reservoirs, the classification methods of carbonate reservoirs are analyzed based on capillary pressure curves and flow units. Based on the capillary pressure curves, although the carbonate reservoirs can be classified, the relationship between porosity and permeability after classification is not ideal. On the basis of the flow units, the high-precision functional relationship between porosity and permeability after classification can be established. Therefore, the carbonate reservoirs can be quantitatively evaluated based on the classification of flow units. In the dolomite reservoirs, the average absolute error of calculated permeability decreases from 15.13 to 7.44 mD. Similarly, the average absolute error of calculated permeability of limestone reservoirs is reduced from 20.33 to 7.37 mD. Only by accurately characterizing pore structures and classifying reservoir types, reservoir parameters could be calculated accurately. Therefore, characterizing pore structures and classifying reservoir types are very important to accurate evaluation of complex carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East.

Water coning in porous media reservoirs for compressed air energy storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiles, L.E.; McCann, R.A.

1981-06-01

The general purpose of this work is to define the hydrodynamic and thermodynamic response of a CAES porous media reservoir subjected to simulated air mass cycling. This research will assist in providing design guidelines for the efficient and stable operation of the air storage reservoir. This report presents the analysis and results for the two-phase (air-water), two-dimensional, numerical modeling of CAES porous media reservoirs. The effects of capillary pressure and relative permeability were included. The fluids were considered to be immisicible; there was no phase change; and the system was isothermal. The specific purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the reservoir parameters that were believed to be important to water coning. This phenomenon may occur in reservoirs in which water underlies the air storage zone. It involves the possible intrusion of water into the wellbore or near-wellbore region. The water movement is in response to pressure gradients created during a reservoir discharge cycle. Potential adverse effects due to this water movement are associated with the pressure response of the reservoir and the geochemical stability of the near-wellbore region. The results obtained for the simulated operation of a CAES reservoir suggest that water coning should not be a severe problem, due to the slow response of the water to the pressure gradients and the relatively short duration in which those gradients exist. However, water coning will depend on site-specific conditions, particularly the fluid distributions following bubble development, and, therefore, a water coning analysis should be included as part of site evaluation.

Mercury-free PVT apparatus for thermophysical property analyses of hydrocarbon reservoir fluids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lansangan, R.M.; Lievois, J.S.

1992-08-31

Typical reservoir fluid analyses of complex, multicomponent hydrocarbon mixtures include the volumetric properties, isothermal compressibility, thermal expansivity, equilibrium ratios, saturation pressure, viscosities, etc. These parameters are collectively referred to as PVT properties, an acronym for the primary state variables; pressure, volume, and temperature. The reservoir engineer incorporates this information together with the porous media description in performing material balance calculations. These calculations lead to the determination (estimation) of the initial hydrocarbon in-place, the future reservoir performance, the optimal production scheme, and the ultimate hydrocarbon recovery. About four years ago, Ruska Instrument Corporation embarked on a project to develop an apparatus designed to measure PVT properties that operates free of mercury. The result of this endeavor is the 2370 Hg-Free PVT system which has been in the market for the last three years. The 2370 has evolved from the prototype unit to its present configuration which is described briefly in this report. The 2370 system, although developed as a system-engineered apparatus based on existing technology, has not been exempt from this burden-of-proof Namely, the performance of the apparatus under routine test conditions with real reservoir fluids. This report summarizes the results of the performance and applications testing of the 2370 Hg-Free PVT system. Density measurements were conducted on a pure fluid. The results were compared against literature values and the prediction of an equation of state. Routine reservoir fluid analyses were conducted with a black oil and a retrograde condensate gas mixtures. Limited comparison of the results were performed based on the same tests performed on a conventional mercury-based PVT apparatus. The results of these tests are included in this report.

Downhole pressure sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Berdahl, C. M.

1980-01-01

Sensor remains accurate in spite of varying temperatures. Very accurate, sensitive, and stable downhole pressure measurements are needed for vaiety of reservoir engineering applications, such as deep petroleum reservoirs, especially gas reservoirs, and in areas of high geothermal gradient.

The Researches on Reasonable Well Spacing of Gas Wells in Deep and low Permeability Gas Reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Bei, Yu Bei; Hui, Li; Lin, Li Dong

2018-06-01

This Gs64 gas reservoir is a condensate gas reservoir which is relatively integrated with low porosity and low permeability found in Dagang Oilfield in recent years. The condensate content is as high as 610g/m3. At present, there are few reports about the well spacing of similar gas reservoirs at home and abroad. Therefore, determining the reasonable well spacing of the gas reservoir is important for ensuring the optimal development effect and economic benefit of the gas field development. This paper discusses the reasonable well spacing of the deep and low permeability gas reservoir from the aspects of percolation mechanics, gas reservoir engineering and numerical simulation. considering there exist the start-up pressure gradient in percolation process of low permeability gas reservoir, this paper combined with productivity equation under starting pressure gradient, established the formula of gas well spacing with the formation pressure and start-up pressure gradient. The calculation formula of starting pressure gradient and well spacing of gas wells. Adopting various methods to calculate values of gas reservoir spacing are close to well testing' radius, so the calculation method is reliable, which is very important for the determination of reasonable well spacing in low permeability gas reservoirs.

Gas condensate reservoir performance : part 1 : fluid characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, F.B.; Bennion, D.B. [Hycal Energy Research Laboratories Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada); Andersen, G. [ChevronTexaco, Calgary, AB (Canada)

2006-07-01

Phase behaviour in gas condensate reservoirs is sensitive to changes in pressure and temperature, which can lead to significant errors in fluid characterization. The challenging task of characterizing in situ fluids in gas condensate reservoirs was discussed with reference to the errors that occur as a result of the complex coupling between phase behavior and geology. This paper presented techniques for reservoir sampling and characterization and proposed methods for minimizing errors. Errors are often made in the classification of dew point systems because engineering criteria does not accurately represent the phase behavior of the reservoir. For example, the fluid of a certain condensate yield may be categorized as a wet gas rather than a retrograde condensate fluid. It was noted that the liquid yield does not dictate whether the fluid is condensate or wet gas, but rather where the reservoir temperature is situated in the pressure temperature phase loop. In order to proceed with a viable field development plan and optimization, the reservoir fluid must be understood. Given that gas productivity decreases with liquid drop out in the near wellbore region, capillary pressure plays a significant role in retrograde reservoirs. It was noted that well understood parameters will lead to a better assessment of the amount of hydrocarbon in place, the rate at which the resource can be produced and optimization strategies as the reservoir matures. It was concluded that multi-rate sampling is the best method to use in sampling fluids since the liquid yield changes as a function of rate. Although bottom-hole sampling in gas condensate reservoirs may be problematic, it should always be performed to address any concerns for liquid-solid separation. Produced fluids typically reveal a specific signature that informs the operator of in situ properties. This paper presented examples that pertain to wet versus retrograde condensate behavior and the presence of an oil zone. The

On the feasibility of inducing oil mobilization in existing reservoirs via wellbore harmonic fluid action

KAUST Repository

Jeong, Chanseok

2011-03-01

Although vibration-based mobilization of oil remaining in mature reservoirs is a promising low-cost method of enhanced oil recovery (EOR), research on its applicability at the reservoir scale is still at an early stage. In this paper, we use simplified models to study the potential for oil mobilization in homogeneous and fractured reservoirs, when harmonically oscillating fluids are injected/produced within a well. To this end, we investigate first whether waves, induced by fluid pressure oscillations at the well site, and propagating radially and away from the source in a homogeneous reservoir, could lead to oil droplet mobilization in the reservoir pore-space. We discuss both the fluid pore-pressure wave and the matrix elastic wave cases, as potential agents for increasing oil mobility. We then discuss the more realistic case of a fractured reservoir, where we study the fluid pore-pressure wave motion, while taking into account the leakage effect on the fracture wall. Numerical results show that, in homogeneous reservoirs, the rock-stress wave is a better energy-delivery agent than the fluid pore-pressure wave. However, neither the rock-stress wave nor the pore-pressure wave is likely to result in any significant residual oil mobilization at the reservoir scale. On the other hand, enhanced oil production from the fractured reservoir\\'s matrix zone, induced by cross-flow vibrations, appears to be feasible. In the fractured reservoir, the fluid pore-pressure wave is only weakly attenuated through the fractures, and thus could induce fluid exchange between the rock formation and the fracture space. The vibration-induced cross-flow is likely to improve the imbibition of water into the matrix zone and the expulsion of oil from it. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

A new method for calculating gas content of coal reservoirs with consideration of a micro-pore overpressure environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinxing Song

2017-05-01

Full Text Available When the gas content of a coal reservoir is calculated, the reservoir pressure measured by well logging and well testing is generally used for inversion calculation instead of gas pressure. However, the calculation result is not accurate because the reservoir pressure is not equal to the gas pressure in overpressure environments. In this paper, coal samples of different ranks in Shanxi and Henan are collected for testing the capillary pressure of coal pores. Based on the formation process of CBM reservoirs and the hydrocarbon generation and expulsion history of coal beds, the forming mechanisms of micro-pore overpressure environments in coal reservoirs were analyzed. Accordingly, a new method for calculating the gas content of coal reservoirs with consideration of a micro-pore overpressure environment was developed. And it was used to calculate the gas content of No. 1 coal bed of the 2nd member of Lower Permian Shanxi Fm in the Zhongmacun Coal Mine in Jiaozuo, Henan. It is indicated that during the formation and evolution of coals, some solid organic matters were converted into gas and water, and gas–water contact is surely formed in pores. In the end, capillary pressure is generated, so the gas pressure in micro-pores is much higher than the hydrostatic column pressure, which results in a micro-pore overpressure environment. Under such an environment, gas pressure is higher than reservoir pressure, so the gas content of coal reservoirs calculated previously based on the conventional reservoir pressure evaluation are usually underestimated. It is also found that the micro-pore overpressure environment exerts a dominating effect on the CBM content calculation of 3–100 nm pores, especially that of 3–10 nm pores, but a little effect on that of pores >100 nm. In conclusion, this new method clarifies the pressure environment of CBM gas reservoirs, thereby ensuring the calculation accuracy of gas content of coal reservoirs.

Pre-drilling prediction techniques on the high-temperature high-pressure hydrocarbon reservoirs offshore Hainan Island, China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hanyu; Liu, Huaishan; Wu, Shiguo; Sun, Jin; Yang, Chaoqun; Xie, Yangbing; Chen, Chuanxu; Gao, Jinwei; Wang, Jiliang

2018-02-01

Decreasing the risks and geohazards associated with drilling engineering in high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) geologic settings begins with the implementation of pre-drilling prediction techniques (PPTs). To improve the accuracy of geopressure prediction in HTHP hydrocarbon reservoirs offshore Hainan Island, we made a comprehensive summary of current PPTs to identify existing problems and challenges by analyzing the global distribution of HTHP hydrocarbon reservoirs, the research status of PPTs, and the geologic setting and its HTHP formation mechanism. Our research results indicate that the HTHP formation mechanism in the study area is caused by multiple factors, including rapid loading, diapir intrusions, hydrocarbon generation, and the thermal expansion of pore fluids. Due to this multi-factor interaction, a cloud of HTHP hydrocarbon reservoirs has developed in the Ying-Qiong Basin, but only traditional PPTs have been implemented, based on the assumption of conditions that do not conform to the actual geologic environment, e.g., Bellotti's law and Eaton's law. In this paper, we focus on these issues, identify some challenges and solutions, and call for further PPT research to address the drawbacks of previous works and meet the challenges associated with the deepwater technology gap. In this way, we hope to contribute to the improved accuracy of geopressure prediction prior to drilling and provide support for future HTHP drilling offshore Hainan Island.

Investigation of hydraulic fracture re-orientation effects in tight gas reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hagemann, B.; Wegner, J.; Ganzer, L. [Technische Univ. Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany). ITE

2013-08-01

In tight gas formations where the low matrix permeability prevents successful and economic production rates, hydraulic fracturing is required to produce a well at economic rates. The initial fracture opens in the direction of minimum stress and propagates into the direction of maximum stress. As production from the well and its initial fracture declines, re-fracturing treatments are required to accelerate recovery. The orientation of the following hydraulic fracture depends on the actual stress-state of the formation in the vicinity of the wellbore. Previous investigations by Elbel and Mack (1993) demonstrated that the stress alters during depletion and a stress reversal region appears. This behavior causes a different fracture orientation of the re-fracturing operation. For the investigation of re-fracture orientation a two-dimensional reservoir model has been designed using COMSOL Multiphysics. The model represents a fractured vertical well in a tight gas reservoir of infinite thickness. A time dependent study was set up to simulate the reservoir depletion by the production from the fractured well. The theory of poroelasticity was used to couple the fluid flow and geo-mechanical behavior. The stress state is initially defined as uniform and the attention is concentrated to the alteration of stress due to the lowered pore pressure. Different cases with anisotropic and heterogeneous permeability are set up to determine its significance. The simulation shows that an elliptical shaped drainage area appears around the fracture. The poroelastic behavior effects that the stress re-orientates and a stress reversal region originates, if the difference between minimum and maximum horizontal stresses is small. The consideration of time indicates that the dimension of the region initially extends fast until it reaches its maximum. Subsequently, the stress reversal region's extent shrinks slowly until it finally disappears. The reservoir characteristics, e.g. the

Fluid flow in gas condensate reservoirs. The interplay of forces and their relative strengths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ursin, Jann-Rune [Stavanger University College, Department of Petroleum Engineering, PO Box 8002, Stavanger, 4068 (Norway)

2004-02-01

Natural production from gas condensate reservoirs is characterized by gas condensation and liquid dropout in the reservoir, first in the near wellbore volume, then as a cylindrical shaped region, dynamically developing into the reservoir volume. The effects of liquid condensation are reduced productivity and loss of production. Successful forecast of well productivity and reservoir production depends on detailed understanding of the effect of various forces acting on fluid flow in time and space. The production form gas condensate reservoirs is thus indirectly related to the interplay of fundamental forces, such as the viscosity, the capillary, the gravitational and the inertial force and their relative strengths, demonstrated by various dimensionless numbers. Dimensionless numbers are defined and calculated for all pressure and space coordinates in a test reservoir. Various regions are identified where certain forces are more important than others. Based on reservoir pressure development, liquid condensation and the numerical representation of dimensionless numbers, a conceptual understanding of a varying reservoir permeability has been reached.The material balance, the reservoir fluid flow and the wellbore flow calculations are performed on a cylindrical reservoir model. The ratios between fundamental forces are calculated and dimensionless numbers defined. The interplay of forces, demonstrated by these numbers, are calculated as function of radial dimension and reservoir pressure.

Bursting Events in Pressure Flushing with Expanding Bottom Outlet Channel within Dam Reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

soheila Tofighi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Currently, large dams in the world, due to the high amount of sediments in the reservoir, especially around the intake, have operational problems. One of the solutions for this problem is pressure flushing. In this type of flushing, a mixture of water and sediment is removed from bottom outlets form dam reservoir and a funnel shaped crater is created in the vicinity of the outlet opening. In laboratory experiments carried out in this study, pressure flushing with the expansion of bottom outlet within the reservoir and its statistical analysis of bursting events were investigated. The structure of the turbulent flow is not fully understood due to their complexity and random nature. Klein et al. Introduced the turbulence bursting in this kind of flow and Nezo and Nakagora suggested that the events resulting from turbulence bursting has a significant effect of transferring the sediment particles. Materials and Methods: For the purposes of this study, the experiments were conducted with a physical model with 7m length, 1.4m width, and 1.5m height, consisting of three parts namely the inlet of the model, the main reservoir, and settling basin. The main reservoir of the model was 5m long and the sediments were placed within this part of the model. The sediment particles were non-cohesive silica with uniform size and with median diameter (d50 1.15mm and geometrics standard deviation (σg 1.37. Experiments carried out with different discharges and water depths above the bottom outlet in different expansion size of outlet channel in constant sediment level of 20cm above the center of the outlet channel. The model was slowly filled with water until the water surface elevation reached to a desired level. The bottom outlet was manually opened, after a while sedimentwere discharged with the water flow in very high concentrations through the outlet channel (sudden discharge and a funnel shaped crater was formed in front of it. After the run of

Sensitivity analysis and economic optimization studies of inverted five-spot gas cycling in gas condensate reservoir

OpenAIRE

Shams Bilal; Yao Jun; Zhang Kai; Zhang Lei

2017-01-01

Gas condensate reservoirs usually exhibit complex flow behaviors because of propagation response of pressure drop from the wellbore into the reservoir. When reservoir pressure drops below the dew point in two phase flow of gas and condensate, the accumulation of large condensate amount occurs in the gas condensate reservoirs. Usually, the saturation of condensate accumulation in volumetric gas condensate reservoirs is lower than the critical condensate saturation that causes trapping of large...

Hydrodynamic modeling of petroleum reservoirs using simulator MUFITS

Science.gov (United States)

Afanasyev, Andrey

2015-04-01

MUFITS is new noncommercial software for numerical modeling of subsurface processes in various applications (www.mufits.imec.msu.ru). To this point, the simulator was used for modeling nonisothermal flows in geothermal reservoirs and for modeling underground carbon dioxide storage. In this work, we present recent extension of the code to petroleum reservoirs. The simulator can be applied in conventional black oil modeling, but it also utilizes a more complicated models for volatile oil and gas condensate reservoirs as well as for oil rim fields. We give a brief overview of the code by providing the description of internal representation of reservoir models, which are constructed of grid blocks, interfaces, stock tanks as well as of pipe segments and pipe junctions for modeling wells and surface networks. For conventional black oil approach, we present the simulation results for SPE comparative tests. We propose an accelerated compositional modeling method for sub- and supercritical flows subjected to various phase equilibria, particularly to three-phase equilibria of vapour-liquid-liquid type. The method is based on the calculation of the thermodynamic potential of reservoir fluid as a function of pressure, total enthalpy and total composition and storing its values as a spline table, which is used in hydrodynamic simulation for accelerated PVT properties prediction. We provide the description of both the spline calculation procedure and the flashing algorithm. We evaluate the thermodynamic potential for a mixture of two pseudo-components modeling the heavy and light hydrocarbon fractions. We develop a technique for converting black oil PVT tables to the potential, which can be used for in-situ hydrocarbons multiphase equilibria prediction under sub- and supercritical conditions, particularly, in gas condensate and volatile oil reservoirs. We simulate recovery from a reservoir subject to near-critical initial conditions for hydrocarbon mixture. We acknowledge

Nuclear register applications and pressure tests to foresee reservoirs exploitation with water drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osorio F, X.; Redosado G, V.

1994-01-01

This paper illustrates how the pulsed neutron log and well test analysis aid proper reservoir management in strong water reservoirs. These techniques have been applied to Cetico reservoir which belongs to Corrientes Field which is located in the Peruvian Jungle. Corrientes is the most important field operated by PETROPERU S.A. As a result of the analysis we current know the present areal water saturation distribution and also have improve the reservoir characterization al of which is being used for increasing the oil production and reserves. (author). 4 refs, 7 figs, 3 tabs

Measuring fluid pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, A.S.

1978-01-01

A method and apparatus are described for measuring the pressure of a fluid having characteristics that make it unsuitable for connection directly to a pressure gauge. The method is particularly suitable for the periodic measurement of the pressure of a supply of liquid Na to Na-lubricated bearings of pumps for pumping Na from a reservoir to the bearing via a filter, the reservoir being contained in a closed vessel containing an inert blanket gas, such as Ar, above the Na. (UK)

Evaluating the Influence of Pore Architecture and Initial Saturation on Wettability and Relative Permeability in Heterogeneous, Shallow-Shelf Carbonates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byrnes, Alan P.; Bhattacharya, Saibal; Victorine, John; Stalder, Ken

2007-09-30

Thin (3-40 ft thick), heterogeneous, limestone and dolomite reservoirs, deposited in shallow-shelf environments, represent a significant fraction of the reservoirs in the U.S. midcontinent and worldwide. In Kansas, reservoirs of the Arbuckle, Mississippian, and Lansing-Kansas City formations account for over 73% of the 6.3 BBO cumulative oil produced over the last century. For these reservoirs basic petrophysical properties (e.g., porosity, absolute permeability, capillary pressure, residual oil saturation to waterflood, resistivity, and relative permeability) vary significantly horizontally, vertically, and with scale of measurement. Many of these reservoirs produce from structures of less than 30-60 ft, and being located in the capillary pressure transition zone, exhibit vertically variable initial saturations and relative permeability properties. Rather than being simpler to model because of their small size, these reservoirs challenge characterization and simulation methodology and illustrate issues that are less apparent in larger reservoirs where transition zone effects are minor and most of the reservoir is at saturations near S{sub wirr}. These issues are further augmented by the presence of variable moldic porosity and possible intermediate to mixed wettability and the influence of these on capillary pressure and relative permeability. Understanding how capillary-pressure properties change with rock lithology and, in turn, within transition zones, and how relative permeability and residual oil saturation to waterflood change through the transition zone is critical to successful reservoir management and as advanced waterflood and improved and enhanced recovery methods are planned and implemented. Major aspects of the proposed study involve a series of tasks to measure data to reveal the nature of how wettability and drainage and imbibition oil-water relative permeability change with pore architecture and initial water saturation. Focus is placed on

Analyses of production tests and MDT tests conducted in Mallik and Alaska methane hydrate reservoirs : what can we learn from these well tests?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurihara, M.; Funatsu, K.; Ouchi, H. [Japan Oil Engineering Co., Tokyo (Japan); Masuda, Y. [Tokyo Univ., Tokyo (Japan). School of Engineering; Yamamoto, K. [Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Narita, H. [National Inst. of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo (Japan); Dallimore, S.R. [Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Geological Survey of Canada; Collett, T.S. [United States Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States); Hancock, S.H. [APA Petroleum Engineering Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2008-07-01

This paper described a series of pressure drawdown tests conducted to evaluate a modular formation dynamics tester (MDT) wireline tool. The tests were conducted at the Mallik methane hydrate (MH) reservoir as well as in MH reservoirs in Alaska over a period of several years. Production tests were also conducted to evaluate depressurization methods, and measure production and bottomhole pressure (BHP) below known MH stability pressures in order to estimate permeability and MH dissociation radius properties. The results of the tests were then history-matched using a numerical simulator. An analysis of the simulation study showed that the MDT tests were useful in estimating initial effective permeability levels in the presence of MH. However, wellbore storage erased important data used to indicate the radius of MH dissociation and effective permeability after partial MH dissociation. The study also showed that steady flow conditions must be established before obtaining solutions from history-matched production tests. Parameters accurately estimated using the MDT and production tests were outlined, and suggestions for future designs and analyses for MH reservoirs were presented. 14 refs., 7 tabs., 17 figs.

Microbial Life in an Underground Gas Storage Reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Bombach, Petra; van Almsick, Tobias; Richnow, Hans H.; Zenner, Matthias; Krüger, Martin

2015-04-01

While underground gas storage is technically well established for decades, the presence and activity of microorganisms in underground gas reservoirs have still hardly been explored today. Microbial life in underground gas reservoirs is controlled by moderate to high temperatures, elevated pressures, the availability of essential inorganic nutrients, and the availability of appropriate chemical energy sources. Microbial activity may affect the geochemical conditions and the gas composition in an underground reservoir by selective removal of anorganic and organic components from the stored gas and the formation water as well as by generation of metabolic products. From an economic point of view, microbial activities can lead to a loss of stored gas accompanied by a pressure decline in the reservoir, damage of technical equipment by biocorrosion, clogging processes through precipitates and biomass accumulation, and reservoir souring due to a deterioration of the gas quality. We present here results from molecular and cultivation-based methods to characterize microbial communities inhabiting a porous rock gas storage reservoir located in Southern Germany. Four reservoir water samples were obtained from three different geological horizons characterized by an ambient reservoir temperature of about 45 °C and an ambient reservoir pressure of about 92 bar at the time of sampling. A complementary water sample was taken at a water production well completed in a respective horizon but located outside the gas storage reservoir. Microbial community analysis by Illumina Sequencing of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes indicated the presence of phylogenetically diverse microbial communities of high compositional heterogeneity. In three out of four samples originating from the reservoir, the majority of bacterial sequences affiliated with members of the genera Eubacterium, Acetobacterium and Sporobacterium within Clostridiales, known for their fermenting capabilities. In

Selecting fish-based metrics responding to human pressures in French natural lakes and reservoirs: towards the development of a fish-based index (FBI) for French lakes

OpenAIRE

Launois, L.; Veslot, J.; Irz, P.; Argillier, C.

2010-01-01

1.Fish-based indices of biotic integrity (IBI) have been developed for many lotic systems but remain scarce for lakes. The goal of the present study was to assess the responses of lentic fish assemblages to anthropogenic pressures when environmental variability was controlled for, and to compare them between French natural lakes and reservoirs. 2.Environmental features, catchment-scale anthropogenic descriptors and fish data were collected from 30 natural lakes and 59 reservoirs throughout...

Effective Wettability Measurements of CO2-Brine-Sandstone System at Different Reservoir Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Menhali, Ali; Krevor, Samuel

2014-05-01

The wetting properties of CO2-brine-rock systems will have a major impact on the management of CO2 injection processes. The wettability of a system controls the flow and trapping efficiency during the storage of CO2 in geological formations as well as the efficiency of enhanced oil recovery operations. Despite its utility in EOR and the continued development of CCS, little is currently known about the wetting properties of the CO2-brine system on reservoir rocks, and no investigations have been performed assessing the impact of these properties on CO2 flooding for CO2 storage or EOR. The wetting properties of multiphase fluid systems in porous media have major impacts on the multiphase flow properties such as the capillary pressure and relative permeability. While recent studies have shown CO2 to generally act as a non-wetting phase in siliciclastic rocks, some observations report that the contact angle varies with pressure, temperature and water salinity. Additionally, there is a wide range of reported contact angles for this system, from strongly to weakly water-wet. In the case of some minerals, intermediate wet contact angles have been observed. Uncertainty with regard to the wetting properties of CO2-brine systems is currently one of the remaining major unresolved issues with regards to reservoir management of CO2 storage. In this study, we make semi-dynamic capillary pressure measurements of supercritical CO2 and brine at reservoir conditions to observe shifts in the wetting properties. We utilize a novel core analysis technique recently developed by Pini et al in 2012 to evaluate a core-scale effective contact angle. Carbon dioxide is injected at constant flow rate into a core that is initially fully saturated with water, while maintaining a constant outlet pressure. In this scenario, the pressure drop across the core corresponds to the capillary pressure at the inlet face of the core. When compared with mercury intrusion capillary pressure measurements

Stakeholder Pressures, Environmental Impact and Managerial Initiatives of SMEs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Henning; Ulhøi, John Parm

2015-01-01

impact was available in Denmark. Consequently, a longitudinal research project was initiated to enlighten the situation. This study investigates environmentally related initiatives taken in response to the perception of stakeholder pressures and the perceived corporate environmental impact. The empirical......Environmental sustainability has become an issue of uttermost importance for business organisations. Therefore, the implementation of corporate environmental initiatives has been vigorously embraced by industry. Two decades ago, no clear picture of industry initiatives to reduce their environmental...... popularity of self-regulation, voluntary initiatives do not tend to be widely adopted by SMEs, stressing a need for a continuing regulation of industry’s behaviour in relation to environmental issues....

SEISMIC DETERMINATION OF RESERVOIR HETEROGENEITY: APPLICATION TO THE CHARACTERIZATION OF HEAVY OIL RESERVOIRS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matthias G. Imhof; James W. Castle

2005-02-01

The objective of the project was to examine how seismic and geologic data can be used to improve characterization of small-scale heterogeneity and their parameterization in reservoir models. The study focused on West Coalinga Field in California. The project initially attempted to build reservoir models based on different geologic and geophysical data independently using different tools, then to compare the results, and ultimately to integrate them all. We learned, however, that this strategy was impractical. The different data and tools need to be integrated from the beginning because they are all interrelated. This report describes a new approach to geostatistical modeling and presents an integration of geology and geophysics to explain the formation of the complex Coalinga reservoir.

Discussion of the feasibility of air injection for enhanced oil recovery in shale oil reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hu Jia

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Air injection in light oil reservoirs has received considerable attention as an effective, improved oil recovery process, based primarily on the success of several projects within the Williston Basin in the United States. The main mechanism of air injection is the oxidation behavior between oxygen and crude oil in the reservoir. Air injection is a good option because of its wide availability and low cost. Whether air injection can be applied to shale is an interesting topic from both economic and technical perspectives. This paper initiates a comprehensive discussion on the feasibility and potential of air injection in shale oil reservoirs based on state-of-the-art literature review. Favorable and unfavorable effects of using air injection are discussed in an analogy analysis on geology, reservoir features, temperature, pressure, and petrophysical, mineral and crude oil properties of shale oil reservoirs. The available data comparison of the historically successful air injection projects with typical shale oil reservoirs in the U.S. is summarized in this paper. Some operation methods to improve air injection performance are recommended. This paper provides an avenue for us to make use of many of the favorable conditions of shale oil reservoirs for implementing air injection, or air huff ‘n’ puff injection, and the low cost of air has the potential to improve oil recovery in shale oil reservoirs. This analysis may stimulate further investigation.

Large reservoirs: Chapter 17

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Leandro E.; Bettoli, Phillip William

2010-01-01

Large impoundments, defined as those with surface area of 200 ha or greater, are relatively new aquatic ecosystems in the global landscape. They represent important economic and environmental resources that provide benefits such as flood control, hydropower generation, navigation, water supply, commercial and recreational fisheries, and various other recreational and esthetic values. Construction of large impoundments was initially driven by economic needs, and ecological consequences received little consideration. However, in recent decades environmental issues have come to the forefront. In the closing decades of the 20th century societal values began to shift, especially in the developed world. Society is no longer willing to accept environmental damage as an inevitable consequence of human development, and it is now recognized that continued environmental degradation is unsustainable. Consequently, construction of large reservoirs has virtually stopped in North America. Nevertheless, in other parts of the world construction of large reservoirs continues. The emergence of systematic reservoir management in the early 20th century was guided by concepts developed for natural lakes (Miranda 1996). However, we now recognize that reservoirs are different and that reservoirs are not independent aquatic systems inasmuch as they are connected to upstream rivers and streams, the downstream river, other reservoirs in the basin, and the watershed. Reservoir systems exhibit longitudinal patterns both within and among reservoirs. Reservoirs are typically arranged sequentially as elements of an interacting network, filter water collected throughout their watersheds, and form a mosaic of predictable patterns. Traditional approaches to fisheries management such as stocking, regulating harvest, and in-lake habitat management do not always produce desired effects in reservoirs. As a result, managers may expend resources with little benefit to either fish or fishing. Some locally

Design Techniques and Reservoir Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahad Fereidooni

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Enhanced oil recovery using nitrogen injection is a commonly applied method for pressure maintenance in conventional reservoirs. Numerical simulations can be practiced for the prediction of a reservoir performance in the course of injection process; however, a detailed simulation might take up enormous computer processing time. In such cases, a simple statistical model may be a good approach to the preliminary prediction of the process without any application of numerical simulation. In the current work, seven rock/fluid reservoir properties are considered as screening parameters and those parameters having the most considerable effect on the process are determined using the combination of experimental design techniques and reservoir simulations. Therefore, the statistical significance of the main effects and interactions of screening parameters are analyzed utilizing statistical inference approaches. Finally, the influential parameters are employed to create a simple statistical model which allows the preliminary prediction of nitrogen injection in terms of a recovery factor without resorting to numerical simulations.

How secure is subsurface CO2 storage? Controls on leakage in natural CO2 reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Miocic, Johannes; Gilfillan, Stuart; McDermott, Christopher; Haszeldine, Stuart

2014-05-01

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is the only industrial scale technology available to directly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuelled power plants and large industrial point sources to the atmosphere. The technology includes the capture of CO2 at the source and transport to subsurface storage sites, such as depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs or saline aquifers, where it is injected and stored for long periods of time. To have an impact on the greenhouse gas emissions it is crucial that there is no or only a very low amount of leakage of CO2 from the storage sites to shallow aquifers or the surface. CO2 occurs naturally in reservoirs in the subsurface and has often been stored for millions of years without any leakage incidents. However, in some cases CO2 migrates from the reservoir to the surface. Both leaking and non-leaking natural CO2 reservoirs offer insights into the long-term behaviour of CO2 in the subsurface and on the mechanisms that lead to either leakage or retention of CO2. Here we present the results of a study on leakage mechanisms of natural CO2 reservoirs worldwide. We compiled a global dataset of 49 well described natural CO2 reservoirs of which six are leaking CO2 to the surface, 40 retain CO2 in the subsurface and for three reservoirs the evidence is inconclusive. Likelihood of leakage of CO2 from a reservoir to the surface is governed by the state of CO2 (supercritical vs. gaseous) and the pressure in the reservoir and the direct overburden. Reservoirs with gaseous CO2 is more prone to leak CO2 than reservoirs with dense supercritical CO2. If the reservoir pressure is close to or higher than the least principal stress leakage is likely to occur while reservoirs with pressures close to hydrostatic pressure and below 1200 m depth do not leak. Additionally, a positive pressure gradient from the reservoir into the caprock averts leakage of CO2 into the caprock. Leakage of CO2 occurs in all cases along a fault zone, indicating that

Williston Reservoir raising - environmental overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-07-01

This preliminary environmental overview report was prepared by B.C. Hydro in June 1987 and revised in July 1988 as an initial assessment of a possible 1.5 m (5 ft.) raise in the Williston Reservoir maximum normal level. The enviromental overview study and the associated engineering and property studies were undertaken to provide information for a decision on whether to initiate more detailed studies. Overview studies are based mainly on available reports, mapping and field data, supplemented by limited site reconnaissance and, in this case, input from key agencies and groups. The lack of adequate mapping of areas which could be affected by reservoir raising did not permit definitive conclusion to be reached. This mapping will be done over the next year to complete the overview assessment. This document covers the impact assessment of socio-economic factors, forestry, reservoir clearing, heritage, recreation, aquatic resources, and wilflife. Further studies in each of these areas are also included. 54 refs., 11 figs., 8 tabs.

Quantifying the clay content with borehole depth and impact on reservoir flow

Science.gov (United States)

Sarath Kumar, Aaraellu D.; Chattopadhyay, Pallavi B.

2017-04-01

This study focuses on the application of reservoir well log data and 3D transient numerical model for proper optimization of flow dynamics and hydrocarbon potential. Fluid flow through porous media depends on clay content that controls porosity, permeability and pore pressure. The pressure dependence of permeability is more pronounced in tight formations. Therefore, preliminary clay concentration analysis and geo-mechanical characterizations have been done by using wells logs. The assumption of a constant permeability for a reservoir is inappropriate and therefore the study deals with impact of permeability variation for pressure-sensitive formation. The study started with obtaining field data from available well logs. Then, the mathematical models are developed to understand the efficient extraction of oil in terms of reservoir architecture, porosity and permeability. The fluid flow simulations have been done using COMSOL Multiphysics Software by choosing time dependent subsurface flow module that is governed by Darcy's law. This study suggests that the reservoir should not be treated as a single homogeneous structure with unique porosity and permeability. The reservoir parameters change with varying clay content and it should be considered for effective planning and extraction of oil. There is an optimum drawdown for maximum production with varying permeability in a reservoir.

The Effect of Capillary Number on a Condensate Blockage in Gas Condensate Reservoirs

OpenAIRE

Saifon DAUNGKAEW; Alain C GRINGARTEN

2004-01-01

In the petroleum industry, gas condensate reservoirs are becoming more common as exploration targets. However, there is a lack of knowledge of the reservoir behaviour mainly due to its complexity in the near wellbore region, where two phases, i.e. reservoir gas and condensate coexist when the wellbore pressure drops below the dew point pressure. The condensation process causes a reduction of the gas productivity (1). It has been reported in the literature that there is an increasing gas mobil...

Laboratory Investigation to Assess the Impact of Pore Pressure Decline and Confining Stress on Shale Gas Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

khalil Rehman Memon

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Four core samples of outcrop type shale from Mancos, Marcellus, Eagle Ford, and Barnett shale formations were studied to evaluate the productivity performance and reservoir connectivity at elevated temperature and pressure. These laboratory experiments were conducted using hydrostatic permeability system with helium as test gas primarily to avoid potential significant effects of adsorption and/or associated swelling that might affect permeability. It was found that the permeability reduction was observed due to increasing confining stress and permeability improvement was observed related to Knudsen flow and molecular slippage related to Klinkenberg effect. Through the effective permeability of rock is improved at lower pore pressures, as 1000 psi. The effective stress with relatively high flow path was identified, as 100-200 nm, in Eagle Ford core sample. However other three samples showed low marginal flow paths in low connectivity.

Three-dimensional numerical reservoir simulation of the EGS Demonstration Project at The Geysers geothermal field

Science.gov (United States)

Borgia, Andrea; Rutqvist, Jonny; Oldenburg, Curt M.; Hutchings, Lawrence; Garcia, Julio; Walters, Mark; Hartline, Craig; Jeanne, Pierre; Dobson, Patrick; Boyle, Katie

2013-04-01

-isothermal porous media numerical flow simulator in order to model the evolution and injection-related operational dynamics of The Geysers geothermal field. At the bottom of the domain in the felsite, we impose a constant temperature, constant saturation, low-permeability boundary. Laterally we set no-flow boundaries (no mass or heat flow), while at the top we use a fully aqueous-phase-saturated constant atmospheric pressure boundary condition. We compute initial conditions for two different conceptual models. The first conceptual model has two phases (gas and aqueous) with decreasing proportions of gas from the steam zone downward; the second model has dry steam all the way from the steam zone to the bottom. The first may be more similar to a pre-exploitation condition, before production reduced pressure and dried out the system, while the second is calibrated to the pressure and temperature actually measured in the reservoir today. Our preliminary results are in reasonable agreement with the pressure monitoring at Prati State 31. These results will be used in hydrogeomechanical modeling to plan, design, and validate the effects of injection in the system.

Investigation of the stable combustion of initiating explosives at high pressures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fogelzang, A.E.; Egorshev, V.IU.; Pimenov, A.IU.; Sinditskii, V.P.; Saklantii, A.R.

1985-01-01

The combustion of typical initiating explosives - tetrazene, tricycloacetone peroxide, diazodinitrophenol, hexamethylene triperoxide diamine, and cyanur triazide - was studied experimentally in the 0.1-40 MPa pressure range. The dependence of combustion rate on pressure was studied for these explosives. 8 references.

Structural analysis of porous rock reservoirs subjected to conditions of compressed air energy storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Friley, J.R.

1980-01-01

Investigations are described which were performed to assess the structural behavior of porous rock compressed air energy storage (CAES) reservoirs subjected to loading conditions of temperature and pressure felt to be typical of such an operation. Analyses performed addressed not only the nominal or mean reservoir response but also the cyclic response due to charge/discharge operation. The analyses were carried out by assuming various geometrical and material related parameters of a generic site. The objective of this study was to determine the gross response of a generic porous reservoir. The site geometry for this study assumed a cylindrical model 122 m in dia and 57 m high including thicknesses for the cap, porous, and base rock formations. The central portion of the porous zone was assumed to be at a depth of 518 m and at an initial temperature of 20/sup 0/C. Cyclic loading conditions of compressed air consisted of pressure values in the range of 4.5 to 5.2 MPa and temperature values between 143 and 204/sup 0/C.Various modes of structural behavior were studied. These response modes were analyzed using loading conditions of temperature and pressure (in the porous zone) corresponding to various operational states during the first year of simulated site operation. The results of the structural analyses performed indicate that the most severely stressed region will likely be in the wellbore vicinity and hence highly dependent on the length of and placement technique utilized in the well production length. Analyses to address this specific areas are currently being pursued.

Thermodynamic evolution of the Los Azufres, Mexico, geothermal reservoir from 1982 to 2002

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arellano, Victor Manuel; Barragan, Rosa Maria [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Gerencia de Geotermia, Reforma 113, Col. Palmira, 62490 Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Torres, Marco Antonio [Comision Federal de Electricidad, Residencia Los Azufres, Campamento Agua Fria, Los Azufres, Michoacan (Mexico)

2005-10-01

An investigation has been made of the response of the Los Azufres geothermal reservoir to 20 years of development, beginning in 1982. The simulator WELFLO was used to characterize the thermodynamic conditions of the reservoir fluids. The first response to exploitation consisted of a decrease in pressure and an increase in enthalpy. Small decreases in reservoir pressure associated with large increases in fluid enthalpy characterize the long-term response in the northern production area. In the southern production area, long-term changes include decreases in pressure and mass flow rate, increases in steam production and, in wells affected by injection, increases in both pressure and total mass flow rate. These changes reflect the effects of boiling, cooling and fluid mixing, processes resulting from large-scale fluid production. (author)

CO2/ brine substitution experiments at simulated reservoir conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Kummerow, Juliane; Spangenberg, Erik

2015-04-01

Capillary properties of rocks affect the mobility of fluids in a reservoir. Therefore, the understanding of the capillary pressure behaviour is essential to assess the long-term behaviour of CO2 reservoirs. Beyond this, a calibration of the petrophysical properties on water saturation of reservoir rocks at simulated in situ conditions is crucial for a proper interpretation of field monitoring data. We present a set-up, which allows for the combined measurements of capillary pressure, electric resistivity, and elastic wave velocities under controlled reservoir conditions (pconf = 400 bar, ppore = 180 bar, T = 65 ° C) at different brine-CO2 saturations. The capillary properties of the samples are measured using the micropore membrane technique. The sample is jacketed with a Viton tube (thickness = 4 mm) and placed between two current electrode endcaps, which as well contain pore fluid ports and ultrasonic P and S wave transducers. Between the sample and the lower endcap the hydrophilic semi-permeable micro-pore membrane (pore size = 100 nm) is integrated. It is embedded into filter papers to establish a good capillary contact and to protect the highly sensitive membrane against mechanical damage under load. Two high-precision syringe pumps are used to displace a quantified volume of brine by CO2 and determine the corresponding sample saturation. The fluid displacement induces a pressure gradient along the sample, which corresponds to the capillary pressure at a particular sample saturation. It is measured with a differential pressure sensor in the range between 0 - 0.2 MPa. Drainage and imbibition cycles are performed to provide information on the efficiency of capillary trapping and to get a calibration of the petrophysical parameters of the sample.

Constant rate natural gas production from a well in a hydrate reservoir

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Chuang; Ahmadi, Goodarz; Smith, Duane H.

2003-01-01

Using a computational model, production of natural gas at a constant rate from a well that is drilled into a confined methane hydrate reservoir is studied. It is assumed that the pores in the reservoir are partially saturated with hydrate. A linearized model for an axisymmetric condition with a fixed well output is used in the analysis. For different reservoir temperatures and various well outputs, time evolutions of temperature and pressure profiles, as well as the gas flow rate in the hydrate zone and the gas region, are evaluated. The distance of the decomposition front from the well as a function of time is also computed. It is shown that to maintain a constant natural gas production rate, the well pressure must be decreased with time. A constant low production rate can be sustained for a long duration of time, but a high production rate demands unrealistically low pressure at the well after a relatively short production time. The simulation results show that the process of natural gas production in a hydrate reservoir is a sensitive function of reservoir temperature and hydrate zone permeability

Interpreting isotopic analyses of microbial sulfate reduction in oil reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Hubbard, C. G.; Engelbrektson, A. L.; Druhan, J. L.; Cheng, Y.; Li, L.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Coates, J. D.; Conrad, M. E.

2013-12-01

Microbial sulfate reduction in oil reservoirs is often associated with secondary production of oil where seawater (28 mM sulfate) is commonly injected to maintain reservoir pressure and displace oil. The hydrogen sulfide produced can cause a suite of operating problems including corrosion of infrastructure, health exposure risks and additional processing costs. We propose that monitoring of the sulfur and oxygen isotopes of sulfate can be used as early indicators that microbial sulfate reduction is occurring, as this process is well known to cause substantial isotopic fractionation. This approach relies on the idea that reactions with reservoir (iron) minerals can remove dissolved sulfide, thereby delaying the transport of the sulfide through the reservoir relative to the sulfate in the injected water. Changes in the sulfate isotopes due to microbial sulfate reduction may therefore be measurable in the produced water before sulfide is detected. However, turning this approach into a predictive tool requires (i) an understanding of appropriate fractionation factors for oil reservoirs, (ii) incorporation of isotopic data into reservoir flow and reactive transport models. We present here the results of preliminary batch experiments aimed at determining fractionation factors using relevant electron donors (e.g. crude oil and volatile fatty acids), reservoir microbial communities and reservoir environmental conditions (pressure, temperature). We further explore modeling options for integrating isotope data and discuss whether single fractionation factors are appropriate to model complex environments with dynamic hydrology, geochemistry, temperature and microbiology gradients.

EXPLOITATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF RESERVOIR PERFORMANCE IN HUNTON FORMATION, OKLAHOMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohan Kelkar

2005-02-01

Hunton formation in Oklahoma has displayed some unique production characteristics. These include high initial water-oil and gas-oil ratios, decline in those ratios over time and temporary increase in gas-oil ratio during pressure build up. The formation also displays highly complex geology, but surprising hydrodynamic continuity. This report addresses three key issues related specifically to West Carney Hunton field and, in general, to any other Hunton formation exhibiting similar behavior: (1) What is the primary mechanism by which oil and gas is produced from the field? (2) How can the knowledge gained from studying the existing fields can be extended to other fields which have the potential to produce? (3) What can be done to improve the performance of this reservoir? We have developed a comprehensive model to explain the behavior of the reservoir. By using available production, geological, core and log data, we are able to develop a reservoir model which explains the production behavior in the reservoir. Using easily available information, such as log data, we have established the parameters needed for a field to be economically successful. We provide guidelines in terms of what to look for in a new field and how to develop it. Finally, through laboratory experiments, we show that surfactants can be used to improve the hydrocarbons recovery from the field. In addition, injection of CO{sub 2} or natural gas also will help us recover additional oil from the field.

Geological model of supercritical geothermal reservoir related to subduction system

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuchiya, Noriyoshi

2017-04-01

�C under lithostatic pressures, and then pressures dropped drastically. The solubility of silica also dropped, resulting in formation of quartz veins under a hydrostatic pressure regime. Connections between the lithostatic and hydrostatic pressure regimes were key to the formation of the hydrothermal breccia veins, and the granite-porphyry system provides useful information for creation of fracture clouds in supercritical geothermal reservoirs. A granite-porphyry system, associated with hydrothermal activity and mineralization, provides a suitable natural analog for studying a deep-seated geothermal reservoir where stockwork fracture systems are created in the presence of supercritical geothermal fluids. I describe fracture networks and their formation mechanisms using petrology and fluid inclusion studies in order to understand this "beyond brittle" supercritical geothermal reservoir, and a geological model for "Beyond Brittle" and "Supercritical" geothermal reservoir in the subduction zone were was revealed.

Three-Dimensional Modeling of Fracture Clusters in Geothermal Reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghassemi, Ahmad [Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)

2017-08-11

The objective of this is to develop a 3-D numerical model for simulating mode I, II, and III (tensile, shear, and out-of-plane) propagation of multiple fractures and fracture clusters to accurately predict geothermal reservoir stimulation using the virtual multi-dimensional internal bond (VMIB). Effective development of enhanced geothermal systems can significantly benefit from improved modeling of hydraulic fracturing. In geothermal reservoirs, where the temperature can reach or exceed 350oC, thermal and poro-mechanical processes play an important role in fracture initiation and propagation. In this project hydraulic fracturing of hot subsurface rock mass will be numerically modeled by extending the virtual multiple internal bond theory and implementing it in a finite element code, WARP3D, a three-dimensional finite element code for solid mechanics. The new constitutive model along with the poro-thermoelastic computational algorithms will allow modeling the initiation and propagation of clusters of fractures, and extension of pre-existing fractures. The work will enable the industry to realistically model stimulation of geothermal reservoirs. The project addresses the Geothermal Technologies Office objective of accurately predicting geothermal reservoir stimulation (GTO technology priority item). The project goal will be attained by: (i) development of the VMIB method for application to 3D analysis of fracture clusters; (ii) development of poro- and thermoelastic material sub-routines for use in 3D finite element code WARP3D; (iii) implementation of VMIB and the new material routines in WARP3D to enable simulation of clusters of fractures while accounting for the effects of the pore pressure, thermal stress and inelastic deformation; (iv) simulation of 3D fracture propagation and coalescence and formation of clusters, and comparison with laboratory compression tests; and (v) application of the model to interpretation of injection experiments (planned by our

A Study of the Optimal Planning Model for Reservoir Sustainable Management- A Case Study of Shihmen Reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Y. Y.; Ho, C. C.; Chang, L. C.

2017-12-01

The reservoir management in Taiwan faces lots of challenge. Massive sediment caused by landslide were flushed into reservoir, which will decrease capacity, rise the turbidity, and increase supply risk. Sediment usually accompanies nutrition that will cause eutrophication problem. Moreover, the unevenly distribution of rainfall cause water supply instability. Hence, how to ensure sustainable use of reservoirs has become an important task in reservoir management. The purpose of the study is developing an optimal planning model for reservoir sustainable management to find out an optimal operation rules of reservoir flood control and sediment sluicing. The model applies Genetic Algorithms to combine with the artificial neural network of hydraulic analysis and reservoir sediment movement. The main objective of operation rules in this study is to prevent reservoir outflow caused downstream overflow, minimum the gap between initial and last water level of reservoir, and maximum sluicing sediment efficiency. A case of Shihmen reservoir was used to explore the different between optimal operating rule and the current operation of the reservoir. The results indicate optimal operating rules tended to open desilting tunnel early and extend open duration during flood discharge period. The results also show the sluicing sediment efficiency of optimal operating rule is 36%, 44%, 54% during Typhoon Jangmi, Typhoon Fung-Wong, and Typhoon Sinlaku respectively. The results demonstrate the optimal operation rules do play a role in extending the service life of Shihmen reservoir and protecting the safety of downstream. The study introduces a low cost strategy, alteration of operation reservoir rules, into reservoir sustainable management instead of pump dredger in order to improve the problem of elimination of reservoir sediment and high cost.

Effects of initiating anaerobic digestion of layer-hen poultry dung at sub-atmospheric pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chima C. Ngumah

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of initiating anaerobic digestion (AD of dry layer-hen poultry dung at the sub-atmospheric pressure of -30 cmHg on biodegradation, biogasification, and biomethanation. The setup was performed as a batch process at an average ambient temperature of 29±2 0C and a retention time of 15 days. Comparisons were made with two other experiments which were both begun at ambient atmospheric pressure; one was inoculated with digestate from a previous layer-hen dung AD, while the other was not inoculated. The bioreactors initiated at sub-atmospheric pressure, ambient atmospheric pressure without inoculum, and ambient atmospheric pressure with inoculum showed the following for biogas and biomethane yields respectively: 16.8 cm3 g-1 VS and 15.46 cm3 g 1 VS, 25.10 cm3 g-1 VS and 12.85 cm3 g-1 VS, 21.44 cm3 g-1 VS and 14.88 cm3 g 1 VS. In the same order, after AD, the following values were recorded for volatile solids and total viable counts (prokaryotes and fungi in the digestates: 40.33% and 23.22 x 106 cfu mL-1, 43.42% and 22.17 x 106 cfu mL-1, 41.11% and 13.3 x 106 cfu mL-1. The feedstock showed values of 83.93% and 3.98 x 106 cfu mL-1 for volatile solids and total viable count respectively. There was a slight difference in the volatile solids of the digestates of the three bioreactors after AD. The pH recorded for the feedstock slurry before AD was 7.9 at 30oC, while after AD, the digestates from all the three bioreactors showed the same pH of 5.9 at 29 0C. Statistical analysis using ANOVA showed no significant difference in biogas yields of the feedstock for the three bioreactors (A, B, C. ANOVA showed no significant difference for biomethane yields in the bioreactors initiated at sub-atmospheric pressure and for those initiated at ambient atmospheric pressure with inoculums. However, it showed significant difference in the bioreactor initiated at sub-atmospheric pressure and that initiated at ambient atmospheric

Fishery management problems and possibilities on large southeastern reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, John W.

1958-01-01

Principal problems concerning the fisheries of large reservoirs in the Southeast are: inefficient and highly selective exploitation of fish stocks, and protection and reclamation of damaged or threatened fisheries in tailwaters and tributary streams. Seven mainstream reservoirs on which data are available support an average angling pressure of 4.9 trips per acre per year and an average catch of 16 pounds of sport fish and 6 pounds of food fish. Commercial take is 7 pounds per acre. The rate of catch of sport fish, based upon tag returns, is only 3 percent. Sixteen storage reservoirs support an average angling pressure of 5.0 trips per acre per year and an average catch of 13 pounds of sport fish and 1 pound of food fish. Commercial catch is of no significance. Average rate of catch of sport fish is 17 percent of the catchable population. Fish population studies indicate that there are twice as many sport fish and four times as many food fish in mainstream than there are in storage reservoirs.

Decoupling damage mechanisms in acid-fractured gas/condensate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bachman, R.C.; Walters, D.A. [Taurus Reservoir Solutions Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada); Settari, A. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada); Rahim, Z.; Ahmed, M.S. [Saudi Aramco, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia)

2006-07-01

The Khuff is a gas condensate field located 11,500 feet beneath the producing Ghawar oil field in Saudi Arabia. Wells are mainly acid fracture stimulated following drilling with excellent fracture conductivity and length properties. The wells experience a quick production loss however, after tie-in which eventually stabilizes after two to five months. In order to identify the source of productivity loss, such as near well liquid dropout, fracture conductivity loss, reservoir permeability loss due to increased effective stress, a study of a well in the Khuff field was conducted. The study reviewed basic geomechanical and reservoir properties and identified the mechanisms of production loss. The paper presented the methodology, data and preliminary analysis, relative permeability and results of the history matching. It was concluded that traditional production type curves in cases with changing skin may indicate that transient flow is occurring when boundary effects are felt. In addition, stress dependent fracture conductivity and reservoir permeability can be modeled with simpler pressure dependent functions for relatively low overall loss in reservoir pressure. 30 refs., 25 figs., 1 appendix.

Simulation study of huff-n-puff air injection for enhanced oil recovery in shale oil reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hu Jia

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper is the first attempt to evaluate huff-n-puff air injection in a shale oil reservoir using a simulation approach. Recovery mechanisms and physical processes of huff-n-puff air injection in a shale oil reservoir are investigated through investigating production performance, thermal behavior, reservoir pressure and fluid saturation features. Air flooding is used as the basic case for a comparative study. The simulation study suggests that thermal drive is the main recovery mechanism for huff-n-puff air injection in the shale oil reservoir, but not for simple air flooding. The synergic recovery mechanism of air flooding in conventional light oil reservoirs can be replicated in shale oil reservoirs by using air huff-n-puff injection strategy. Reducing huff-n-puff time is better for performing the synergic recovery mechanism of air injection. O2 diffusion plays an important role in huff-n-puff air injection in shale oil reservoirs. Pressure transmissibility as well as reservoir pressure maintenance ability in huff-n-puff air injection is more pronounced than the simple air flooding after primary depletion stage. No obvious gas override is exhibited in both air flooding and air huff-n-puff injection scenarios in shale reservoirs. Huff-n-puff air injection has great potential to develop shale oil reservoirs. The results from this work may stimulate further investigations.

Chemical conditions of the Japanese neutral geothermal reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiba, H.

1991-01-01

The aqueous speciation were calculated for fluids of seven Japanese geothermal systems. The aqueous composition as well as CO 2 partial pressure of fluid in neutral pH geothermal reservoir are controlled by silicate, calcite and anhydrite minerals. The chemical composition of neutral pH geothermal reservoir can be predictable if two parameters (e.g. temperature and one of the cation activities) are provided. (author)

Reconstruction of initial pressure from limited view photoacoustic images using deep learning

Science.gov (United States)

Waibel, Dominik; Gröhl, Janek; Isensee, Fabian; Kirchner, Thomas; Maier-Hein, Klaus; Maier-Hein, Lena

2018-02-01

Quantification of tissue properties with photoacoustic (PA) imaging typically requires a highly accurate representation of the initial pressure distribution in tissue. Almost all PA scanners reconstruct the PA image only from a partial scan of the emitted sound waves. Especially handheld devices, which have become increasingly popular due to their versatility and ease of use, only provide limited view data because of their geometry. Owing to such limitations in hardware as well as to the acoustic attenuation in tissue, state-of-the-art reconstruction methods deliver only approximations of the initial pressure distribution. To overcome the limited view problem, we present a machine learning-based approach to the reconstruction of initial pressure from limited view PA data. Our method involves a fully convolutional deep neural network based on a U-Net-like architecture with pixel-wise regression loss on the acquired PA images. It is trained and validated on in silico data generated with Monte Carlo simulations. In an initial study we found an increase in accuracy over the state-of-the-art when reconstructing simulated linear-array scans of blood vessels.

Reduced-Order Model for Leakage Through an Open Wellbore from the Reservoir due to Carbon Dioxide Injection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, Lehua [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Oldenburg, Curtis M. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-07-26

Potential CO₂ leakage through existing open wellbores is one of the most significant hazards that need to be addressed in geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) projects. In the framework of the National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) which requires fast computations for uncertainty analysis, rigorous simulation of the coupled wellbore-reservoir system is not practical. We have developed a 7,200-point look-up table reduced-order model (ROM) for estimating the potential leakage rate up open wellbores in response to CO₂ injection nearby. The ROM is based on coupled simulations using T2Well/ECO2H which was run repeatedly for representative conditions relevant to NRAP to create a look-up table response-surface ROM. The ROM applies to a wellbore that fully penetrates a 20-m thick reservoir that is used for CO₂ storage. The radially symmetric reservoir is assumed to have initially uniform pressure, temperature, gas saturation, and brine salinity, and it is assumed these conditions are held constant at the far-field boundary (100 m away from the wellbore). In such a system, the leakage can quickly reach quasi-steady state. The ROM table can be used to estimate both the free-phase CO₂ and brine leakage rates through an open well as a function of wellbore and reservoir conditions. Results show that injection-induced pressure and reservoir gas saturation play important roles in controlling leakage. Caution must be used in the application of this ROM because well leakage is formally transient and the ROM lookup table was populated using quasi-steady simulation output after 1000 time steps which may correspond to different physical times for the various parameter combinations of the coupled wellbore-reservoir system.

Sensitivity analysis and economic optimization studies of inverted five-spot gas cycling in gas condensate reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shams Bilal

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Gas condensate reservoirs usually exhibit complex flow behaviors because of propagation response of pressure drop from the wellbore into the reservoir. When reservoir pressure drops below the dew point in two phase flow of gas and condensate, the accumulation of large condensate amount occurs in the gas condensate reservoirs. Usually, the saturation of condensate accumulation in volumetric gas condensate reservoirs is lower than the critical condensate saturation that causes trapping of large amount of condensate in reservoir pores. Trapped condensate often is lost due to condensate accumulation-condensate blockage courtesy of high molecular weight, heavy condensate residue. Recovering lost condensate most economically and optimally has always been a challenging goal. Thus, gas cycling is applied to alleviate such a drastic loss in resources.

Exploring How Changing Monsoonal Dynamics and Human Pressures Challenge Multi-Reservoir Management of Food-Energy-Water Tradeoffs

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, J.; Reed, P. M.; Giuliani, M.; Castelletti, A.; Oyler, J.; Nicholas, R.

2017-12-01

Multi-reservoir systems require robust and adaptive control policies capable of managing evolving hydroclimatic variability and human demands across a wide range of time scales. This is especially true for systems with high intra-annual and inter-annual variability, such as monsoonal river systems that need to buffer against seasonal droughts while also managing extreme floods. Moreover, the timing, intensity, duration, and frequency of these hydrologic extremes may be affected by deeply uncertain changes in socioeconomic and climatic pressures. This study contributes an innovative method for exploring how possible changes in the timing and magnitude of monsoonal seasonal extremes impact the robustness of reservoir operating policies optimized to historical conditions assuming stationarity. We illustrate this analysis on the Red River basin in Vietnam, where reservoirs and dams serve as important sources of hydropower production, irrigable water supply, and flood protection for the capital city of Hanoi. Applying our scenario discovery approach, we find food-energy-water tradeoffs are exacerbated by potential hydrologic shifts, with wetter worlds threatening the ability of operating strategies to manage flood risk and drier worlds threatening their ability to provide sufficient water supply and hydropower production, especially if demands increase. Most notably, though, amplification of the within-year monsoonal cycle and increased inter-annual variability threaten all of the above. These findings highlight the importance of considering changes in both lower order moments of annual streamflow and intra-annual monsoonal behavior when evaluating the robustness of alternative water systems control strategies for managing deeply uncertain futures.

Refined reservoir description to maximize oil recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flewitt, W.E.

1975-01-01

To assure maximized oil recovery from older pools, reservoir description has been advanced by fully integrating original open-hole logs and the recently introduced interpretive techniques made available through cased-hole wireline saturation logs. A refined reservoir description utilizing normalized original wireline porosity logs has been completed in the Judy Creek Beaverhill Lake ''A'' Pool, a reefal carbonate pool with current potential productivity of 100,000 BOPD and 188 active wells. Continuous porosity was documented within a reef rim and cap while discontinuous porous lenses characterized an interior lagoon. With the use of pulsed neutron logs and production data a separate water front and pressure response was recognized within discrete environmental units. The refined reservoir description aided in reservoir simulation model studies and quantifying pool performance. A pattern water flood has now replaced the original peripheral bottom water drive to maximize oil recovery

Mutual Solubility of MEG, Water and Reservoir Fluid: Experimental Measurements and Modeling using the CPA Equation of State

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riaz, Muhammad; Kontogeorgis, Georgios; Stenby, Erling Halfdan

2011-01-01

This work presents new experimental phase equilibrium data of binary MEG-reservoir fluid and ternary MEG-water-reservoir fluid systems at temperatures 275-326 K and at atmospheric pressure. The reservoir fluid consists of a natural gas condensate from a Statoil operated gas field in the North Sea...... compounds. It has also been extended to reservoir fluids in presence of water and polar chemicals using a Pedersen like characterization method with modified correlations for critical temperature, pressure and acentric factor. In this work CPA is applied to the prediction of mutual solubility of reservoir...

Estimation of critical gas saturation during pressure depletion in virgin and waterflooded reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDougall, S.R.; Sorbie, K.S. [Heriot-Watt Univ., Dept. of Petroleum Engineering, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

1999-08-01

An important issue in petroleum engineering is the prediction of gas production during reservoir depletion - either following conventional waterflooding operations or in the early stages of hydrocarbon production. The estimation of critical gas saturation for use in corresponding simulation studies is clearly a primary concern. To this end, a 3D, three-phase numerical pore-scale simulator has been developed that can be used to estimate critical gas saturations over a range of different lengthscales and for a wide range of fluid and rock properties. The model incorporates a great deal of the known physics observed in associated laboratory micromodel experiments, including embryonic nucleation, supersaturation effects, multiphase diffusion, bubble growth/migration/fragmentation, oil shrinkage, and three-phase spreading coefficients. These precise pore-scale mechanisms governing gas evolution have been found to be far more subtle than earlier models would suggest because of the large variation of gas/oil interfacial tension (IFT) with pressure. This has a profound effect upon the migration of gas structures during depletion. In models pertaining to reservoir rock, the process of gas migration is consequently much slower than predictions from more simplistic models would imply. This is the first time that bubble fragmentation and IFT variations have been included in a model of gas evolution at the pore-scale and the implications for production forecasting are expected to be significant. In addition, novel scaling groups have been derived for a number of different facies under both virgin and waterflooded conditions. One future application of these groups would be to scale S{sub gc} values obtained from high rate depressurization experiments to the low rate conditions more characteristic of field operations. (Author)

Adaptive management for subsurface pressure and plume control in application to geological CO2 storage

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Nicolas, A.; Cihan, A.; Birkholzer, J. T.; Petrusak, R.; Zhou, Q.; Riestenberg, D. E.; Trautz, R. C.; Godec, M.

2016-12-01

Industrial-scale injection of CO2 into the subsurface can cause reservoir pressure increases that must be properly controlled to prevent any potential environmental impact. Excessive pressure buildup in reservoir may result in ground water contamination stemming from leakage through conductive pathways, such as improperly plugged abandoned wells or distant faults, and the potential for fault reactivation and possibly seal breaching. Brine extraction is a viable approach for managing formation pressure, effective stress, and plume movement during industrial-scale CO2 injection projects. The main objectives of this study are to investigate suitable different pressure management strategies involving active brine extraction and passive pressure relief wells. Adaptive optimized management of CO2 storage projects utilizes the advanced automated optimization algorithms and suitable process models. The adaptive management integrates monitoring, forward modeling, inversion modeling and optimization through an iterative process. In this study, we employ an adaptive framework to understand primarily the effects of initial site characterization and frequency of the model update (calibration) and optimization calculations for controlling extraction rates based on the monitoring data on the accuracy and the success of the management without violating pressure buildup constraints in the subsurface reservoir system. We will present results of applying the adaptive framework to test appropriateness of different management strategies for a realistic field injection project.

A reverse method to estimate initial temperatures in geothermal reservoirs; Un metodo inverso para estimacion de la temperatura inicial de yacimientos geotermicos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Gutierrez, Alfonso [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Gerencia de Geotermia, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico)]. E-mail: aggarcia@iie.org.mx; Ramos Alcantara, Jose R. [Centro Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo Tecnologico, Departamento de Ingenieria Mecanica, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Arellano Gomez, Victor M. [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Gerencia de Geotermia, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico)

2010-01-15

A method is presented for estimating the initial temperature in geothermal-reservoir formations. The method is based on control theory where the measured temperatures or temperature logs are compared with corresponding simulated temperatures for different times with the well closed. The comparison is made using a control algorithm that makes changes to the originally assumed reservoir temperatures and performs iterations until the best fit between the temperature logs and the simulated temperatures is obtained. The simulation of fluid transport and heat in the well includes the processes of circulation and stop in the presence of circulation losses, modeled on macroscopic balances of momentum and energy. The transport processes in the formation regard the reservoir as an isotropic porous medium and fluid flow is described by Darcy's law. This model generates the fields of temperatures, pressures and speeds as a function of time and space. The method was tested with data from well LV-3 in Las Tres Virgenes geothermal field, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The estimated temperatures of the undisturbed formation-or initial temperatures-are compared within {+-}15 degrees Celsius with the measured temperatures, which is an acceptable outcome from an engineering point of view. [Spanish] Se presenta un metodo para la estimacion de la temperatura inicial en las formaciones de yacimientos geotermicos. El metodo se basa en la teoria de control donde las temperaturas medidas o registros de temperatura se comparan con las correspondientes temperaturas simuladas a diferentes tiempos con el pozo cerrado. La comparacion se hace usando un algoritmo de control el cual hace cambios a las temperaturas de yacimiento originalmente supuestas y realiza iteraciones hasta que se obtiene el mejor ajuste entre los registros de temperatura y las temperaturas simuladas. La simulacion del transporte de fluidos y calor en el pozo incluye los procesos de circulacion y paro en presencia de

Impacts of bedding directions of shale gas reservoirs on hydraulically induced crack propagation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keming Sun

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Shale gas reservoirs are different from conventional ones in terms of their bedding architectures, so their hydraulic fracturing rules are somewhat different. In this paper, shale hydraulic fracturing tests were carried out by using the triaxial hydraulic fracturing test system to identify the effects of natural bedding directions on the crack propagation in the process of hydraulic fracturing. Then, the fracture initiation criterion of hydraulic fracturing was prepared using the extended finite element method. On this basis, a 3D hydraulic fracturing computation model was established for shale gas reservoirs. And finally, a series of studies were performed about the effects of bedding directions on the crack propagation created by hydraulic fracturing in shale reservoirs. It is shown that the propagation rules of hydraulically induced fractures in shale gas reservoirs are jointly controlled by the in-situ stress and the bedding plane architecture and strength, with the bedding direction as the main factor controlling the crack propagation directions. If the normal tensile stress of bedding surface reaches its tensile strength after the fracturing, cracks will propagate along the bedding direction, and otherwise vertical to the minimum in-situ stress direction. With the propagating of cracks along bedding surfaces, the included angle between the bedding normal direction and the minimum in-situ stress direction increases, the fracture initiation and propagation pressures increase and the crack areas decrease. Generally, cracks propagate in the form of non-plane ellipsoids. With the injection of fracturing fluids, crack areas and total formation filtration increase and crack propagation velocity decreases. The test results agree well with the calculated crack propagation rules, which demonstrate the validity of the above-mentioned model.

Reservoir characterization using production data and time-lapse seismic data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dadashpour, Mohsen

2009-12-15

The most commonly encountered, and probably the most challenging task in reservoir engineering, is to describe the reservoir accurately and efficiently. An accurate description of a reservoir is crucial to the management of production and efficiency of oil recovery. Reservoir modeling is an important step in a reservoir's future performance, which is in direct proportion to reservoir management, risk analysis and making key economic decisions. The purpose of reservoir modeling is to not only build a model that is consistent with currently available data, but to build one that gives a good prediction of its future behavior. Updating a reservoir model to behave as closely as possible to the real reservoir is called history matching, and the estimation of reservoir properties using this method is known as parameter estimation problem, which is an inversion process. Parameter estimation is a time consuming and non-unique problem with a large solution space. Saturation and pressure changes, and porosity and permeability distributions are the most common parameters to estimate in the oil industry. These parameters must be specified in every node within a petroleum reservoir simulator. These parameters will be adjusted until the model prediction data match the observation data to a sufficient degree. The solution space reduction in this project is done by adding time-lapse seismic data as a new set of dynamic data to the traditional production histories. Time-lapse (or 4D) seismic consists of two or more 3D seismic surveys shot at different calendar times. Time-lapse seismic surveys produce images at different times in a reservoir's history. The seismic response of a reservoir may change due to changes in pressure, fluid saturation and temperature. These changes in seismic images due to a variation in saturation and pressure can be used as additional observation data. Time-lapse seismic data are dynamical measurements which have a high resolution in the

Smart waterflooding in carbonate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zahid, A.

2012-02-15

During the last decade, smart waterflooding has been developed into an emerging EOR technology both for carbonate and sandstone reservoirs that does not require toxic or expensive chemicals. Although it is widely accepted that different salinity brines may increase the oil recovery for carbonate reservoirs, understanding of the mechanism of this increase is still developing. To understand this smart waterflooding process, an extensive research has been carried out covering a broad range of disciplines within surface chemistry, thermodynamics of crude oil and brine, as well as their behavior in porous media. The main conclusion of most previous studies was that it is the rock wettability alteration towards more water wetting condition that helps improving the oil recovery. In the first step of this project, we focused on verifying this conclusion. Coreflooding experiments were carried out using Stevens Klint outcrop chalk core plugs with brines without sulfate, as well as brines containing sulfate in different concentrations. The effects of temperature, injection rate, crude oil composition and different sulfate concentrations on the total oil recovery and the recovery rate were investigated. Experimental results clearly indicate improvement of the oil recovery without wettability alteration. At the second step of this project, we studied crude oil/brine interactions under different temperatures, pressures and salinity conditions in order to understand mechanisms behind the high salinity waterflooding. Our results show, in particular that sulfate ions may help decreasing the crude oil viscosity or formation of, seemingly, an emulsion phase between sulfate-enriched brine and oil at high temperature and pressure. Experimental results indicate that crude oils interact differently with the same brine solutions regarding phase behavior and viscosity measurements. This difference is attributed to the difference in composition of the different crude oils. More experiments

Prediction of reservoir compaction and surface subsidence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Waal, J.A.; Smits, R.M.M.

1988-06-01

A new loading-rate-dependent compaction model for unconsolidated clastic reservoirs is presented that considerably improves the accuracy of predicting reservoir rock compaction and surface subsidence resulting from pressure depletion in oil and gas fields. The model has been developed on the basis of extensive laboratory studies and can be derived from a theory relating compaction to time-dependent intergranular friction. The procedure for calculating reservoir compaction from laboratory measurements with the new model is outlined. Both field and laboratory compaction behaviors appear to be described by one single normalized, nonlinear compaction curve. With the new model, the large discrepancies usually observed between predictions based on linear compaction models and actual (nonlinear) field behavior can be explained.

Water cooled static pressure probe

Science.gov (United States)

Lagen, Nicholas T. (Inventor); Eves, John W. (Inventor); Reece, Garland D. (Inventor); Geissinger, Steve L. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

An improved static pressure probe containing a water cooling mechanism is disclosed. This probe has a hollow interior containing a central coolant tube and multiple individual pressure measurement tubes connected to holes placed on the exterior. Coolant from the central tube symmetrically immerses the interior of the probe, allowing it to sustain high temperature (in the region of 2500 F) supersonic jet flow indefinitely, while still recording accurate pressure data. The coolant exits the probe body by way of a reservoir attached to the aft of the probe. The pressure measurement tubes are joined to a single, larger manifold in the reservoir. This manifold is attached to a pressure transducer that records the average static pressure.

COSTING MODELS FOR WATER SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION: PART III- PUMPS, TANKS, AND RESERVOIRS

Science.gov (United States)

Distribution systems are generally designed to ensure hydraulic reliability. Storage tanks, reservoirs and pumps are critical in maintaining this reliability. Although storage tanks, reservoirs and pumps are necessary for maintaining adequate pressure, they may also have a negati...

Under Pressure: Financial Effect of the Hospital-Acquired Conditions Initiative-A Statewide Analysis of Pressure Ulcer Development and Payment.

Science.gov (United States)

Meddings, Jennifer; Reichert, Heidi; Rogers, Mary A M; Hofer, Timothy P; McMahon, Laurence F; Grazier, Kyle L

2015-07-01

To assess the financial effect of the 2008 Hospital-Acquired Conditions Initiative (HACI) pressure ulcer payment changes on Medicare, other payers, and hospitals. Retrospective before-and-after study of all-payer statewide administrative data for more than 2.4 million annual adult discharges in 2007 and 2009 using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Datasets for California. How often and by how much the 2008 payment changes for pressure ulcers affected hospital payment was assessed. Nonfederal acute care California hospitals (N = 311). Adults discharged from acute-care hospitals. Pressure ulcer rates and hospital payment changes. Hospital-acquired pressure ulcer rates were low in 2007 (0.28%) and 2009 (0.27%); present-on-admission pressure ulcer rates increased from 2.3% in 2007 to 3.0% in 2009. According to clinical stage of pressure ulcer (available in 2009), hospital-acquired Stage III and IV ulcers occurred in 603 discharges (0.02%); 60,244 discharges (2.42%) contained other pressure ulcer diagnoses. Payment removal for Stage III and IV hospital-acquired ulcers reduced payment in 75 (0.003%) discharges, for a statewide payment decrease of $310,444 (0.001%) for all payers and $199,238 (0.001%) for Medicare. For all other pressure ulcers, the Hospital-Acquired Conditions Initiative reduced hospital payment in 20,246 (0.81%) cases (including 18,953 cases with present-on-admission ulcers), reducing statewide payment by $62,538,586 (0.21%) for all payers and $47,237,984 (0.32%) for Medicare. The total financial effect of the 2008 payment changes for pressure ulcers was negligible. Most payment decreases occurred by removal of comorbidity payments for present-on-admission pressure ulcers other than Stages III and IV. The removal of payment for hospital-acquired Stage III and IV ulcers by implementation of the HACI policy was 1/200th that of the removal of payment for other types of pressure ulcers that occurred in implementation of the

Experimental evaluation on the damages of different drilling modes to tight sandstone reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gao Li

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The damages of different drilling modes to reservoirs are different in types and degrees. In this paper, the geologic characteristics and types of such damages were analyzed. Then, based on the relationship between reservoir pressure and bottom hole flowing pressure corresponding to different drilling modes, the experimental procedures on reservoir damages in three drilling modes (e.g. gas drilling, liquid-based underbalanced drilling and overbalanced drilling were designed. Finally, damage simulation experiments were conducted on the tight sandstone reservoir cores of the Jurassic Ahe Fm in the Tarim Basin and Triassic Xujiahe Fm in the central Sichuan Basin. It is shown that the underbalanced drilling is beneficial to reservoir protection because of its less damage on reservoir permeability, but it is, to some extent, sensitive to the stress and the empirical formula of stress sensitivity coefficient is obtained; and that the overbalanced drilling has more reservoir damages due to the invasion of solid and liquid phases. After the water saturation of cores rises to the irreducible water saturation, the decline of gas logging permeability speeds up and the damage degree of water lock increases. It is concluded that the laboratory experiment results of reservoir damage are accordant with the reservoir damage characteristics in actual drilling conditions. Therefore, this method reflects accurately the reservoir damage characteristics and can be used as a new experimental evaluation method on reservoir damage in different drilling modes.

Electrolyte CPA equation of state for very high temperature and pressure reservoir and basin applications

Science.gov (United States)

Courtial, Xavier; Ferrando, Nicolas; de Hemptinne, Jean-Charles; Mougin, Pascal

2014-10-01

In this work, an electrolyte version of the Cubic Plus Association (eCPA) equation of state has been adapted to systems containing CH4, CO2, H2O and NaCl (up to 5 molal) at pressures up to 200 MPa and temperatures up to 773 K for salt-free systems and 573 K for salt-containing systems. Its purpose is to represent the phase behavior (including salting-out effect and critical point) and the phase densities in a range of temperature and pressure encountered in deep reservoirs and basins. The goal of the parameterization proposed is not to reach a very high accuracy for phase equilibrium and volumetric properties, but rather to develop a semi-predictive approach to model the phase and volumetric behavior of this system while allowing an easy extension to other compounds. Without salt, predictions for pure component vapor pressures and liquid molar volumes present an average absolute deviation (AAD) lower than 3% compared to experimental reference values. The pure component molar volumes out of saturation show an AAD lower than 4%. The highest deviations in densities are observed as expected in the vicinity of the critical coordinates of pure water and this effect increases when gases or salts are added to the system. For each binary system, CH4 + CO2, CH4 + H2O and CO2 + H2O, binary interaction parameters have been fitted to correctly represent the shape of the fluid phase envelopes (including all critical points) in the entire temperature and pressure range considered (219 K to 633 K and up to 250 MPa). The methane concentration in both phases of the CH4 + CO2 binary system is represented with an AAD lower than 9%. The methane solubility in water is represented within 16% and 8% for the methane content of the vapor. The CO2 solubility in water is within 26%, while the CO2 in the vapor phase shows an average deviation of 12%. All molar volumes are represented with an AAD lower than 3%. The few VLE experimental data for the CH4 + CO2 + H2O ternary system are fairly well

Approaches to identifying reservoir heterogeneity and reserve growth opportunities from subsurface data: The Oficina Formation, Budare field, Venezuela

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamilton, D.S.; Raeuchle, S.K.; Holtz, M.H. [Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, TX (United States)] [and others

1997-08-01

We applied an integrated geologic, geophysical, and engineering approach devised to identify heterogeneities in the subsurface that might lead to reserve growth opportunities in our analysis of the Oficina Formation at Budare field, Venezuela. The approach involves 4 key steps: (1) Determine geologic reservoir architecture; (2) Investigate trends in reservoir fluid flow; (3) Integrate fluid flow trends with reservoir architecture; and (4) Estimate original oil-in-place, residual oil saturation, and remaining mobile oil, to identify opportunities for reserve growth. There are three main oil-producing reservoirs in the Oficina Formation that were deposited in a bed-load fluvial system, an incised valley-fill, and a barrier-strandplain system. Reservoir continuity is complex because, in addition to lateral facies variability, the major Oficina depositional systems were internally subdivided by high-frequency stratigraphic surfaces. These surfaces define times of intermittent lacustrine and marine flooding events that punctuated the fluvial and marginal marine sedimentation, respectively. Syn and post depositional faulting further disrupted reservoir continuity. Trends in fluid flow established from initial fluid levels, response to recompletion workovers, and pressure depletion data demonstrated barriers to lateral and vertical fluid flow caused by a combination of reservoir facies pinchout, flooding shale markers, and the faults. Considerable reserve growth potential exists at Budare field because the reservoir units are highly compartment by the depositional heterogeneity and structural complexity. Numerous reserve growth opportunities were identified in attics updip of existing production, in untapped or incompletely drained compartments, and in field extensions.

Pulmonary artery wave propagation and reservoir function in conscious man: impact of pulmonary vascular disease, respiration and dynamic stress tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Junjing; Manisty, Charlotte; Simonsen, Ulf; Howard, Luke S; Parker, Kim H; Hughes, Alun D

2017-10-15

Wave travel plays an important role in cardiovascular physiology. However, many aspects of pulmonary arterial wave behaviour remain unclear. Wave intensity and reservoir-excess pressure analyses were applied in the pulmonary artery in subjects with and without pulmonary hypertension during spontaneous respiration and dynamic stress tests. Arterial wave energy decreased during expiration and Valsalva manoeuvre due to decreased ventricular preload. Wave energy also decreased during handgrip exercise due to increased heart rate. In pulmonary hypertension patients, the asymptotic pressure at which the microvascular flow ceases, the reservoir pressure related to arterial compliance and the excess pressure caused by waves increased. The reservoir and excess pressures decreased during Valsalva manoeuvre but remained unchanged during handgrip exercise. This study provides insights into the influence of pulmonary vascular disease, spontaneous respiration and dynamic stress tests on pulmonary artery wave propagation and reservoir function. Detailed haemodynamic analysis may provide novel insights into the pulmonary circulation. Therefore, wave intensity and reservoir-excess pressure analyses were applied in the pulmonary artery to characterize changes in wave propagation and reservoir function during spontaneous respiration and dynamic stress tests. Right heart catheterization was performed using a pressure and Doppler flow sensor tipped guidewire to obtain simultaneous pressure and flow velocity measurements in the pulmonary artery in control subjects and patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) at rest. In controls, recordings were also obtained during Valsalva manoeuvre and handgrip exercise. The asymptotic pressure at which the flow through the microcirculation ceases, the reservoir pressure related to arterial compliance and the excess pressure caused by arterial waves increased in PAH patients compared to controls. The systolic and diastolic rate constants

Influence of Chemical, Mechanical, and Transport Processes on Wellbore Leakage from Geologic CO2 Storage Reservoirs.

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, Susan A; Iyer, Jaisree; Walsh, Stuart D C

2017-08-15

Wells are considered to be high-risk pathways for fluid leakage from geologic CO 2 storage reservoirs, because breaches in this engineered system have the potential to connect the reservoir to groundwater resources and the atmosphere. Given these concerns, a few studies have assessed leakage risk by evaluating regulatory records, often self-reported, documenting leakage in gas fields. Leakage is thought to be governed largely by initial well-construction quality and the method of well abandonment. The geologic carbon storage community has raised further concerns because acidic fluids in the CO 2 storage reservoir, alkaline cement meant to isolate the reservoir fluids from the overlying strata, and steel casings in wells are inherently reactive systems. This is of particular concern for storage of CO 2 in depleted oil and gas reservoirs with numerous legacy wells engineered to variable standards. Research suggests that leakage risks are not as great as initially perceived because chemical and mechanical alteration of cement has the capacity to seal damaged zones. Our work centers on defining the coupled chemical and mechanical processes governing flow in damaged zones in wells. We have developed process-based models, constrained by experiments, to better understand and forecast leakage risk. Leakage pathways can be sealed by precipitation of carbonate minerals in the fractures and deformation of the reacted cement. High reactivity of cement hydroxides releases excess calcium that can precipitate as carbonate solids in the fracture network under low brine flow rates. If the flow is fast, then the brine remains undersaturated with respect to the solubility of calcium carbonate minerals, and zones depleted in calcium hydroxides, enriched in calcium carbonate precipitates, and made of amorphous silicates leached of original cement minerals are formed. Under confining pressure, the reacted cement is compressed, which reduces permeability and lowers leakage risks. The

Modeling of Single and Dual Reservoir Porous Media Compressed Gas (Air and CO2) Storage Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Oldenburg, C. M.; Liu, H.; Borgia, A.; Pan, L.

2017-12-01

Intermittent renewable energy sources are causing increasing demand for energy storage. The deep subsurface offers promising opportunities for energy storage because it can safely contain high-pressure gases. Porous media compressed air energy storage (PM-CAES) is one approach, although the only facilities in operation are in caverns (C-CAES) rather than porous media. Just like in C-CAES, PM-CAES operates generally by injecting working gas (air) through well(s) into the reservoir compressing the cushion gas (existing air in the reservoir). During energy recovery, high-pressure air from the reservoir is mixed with fuel in a combustion turbine to produce electricity, thereby reducing compression costs. Unlike in C-CAES, the storage of energy in PM-CAES occurs variably across pressure gradients in the formation, while the solid grains of the matrix can release/store heat. Because air is the working gas, PM-CAES has fairly low thermal efficiency and low energy storage density. To improve the energy storage density, we have conceived and modeled a closed-loop two-reservoir compressed CO2 energy storage system. One reservoir is the low-pressure reservoir, and the other is the high-pressure reservoir. CO2 is cycled back and forth between reservoirs depending on whether energy needs to be stored or recovered. We have carried out thermodynamic and parametric analyses of the performance of an idealized two-reservoir CO2 energy storage system under supercritical and transcritical conditions for CO2 using a steady-state model. Results show that the transcritical compressed CO2 energy storage system has higher round-trip efficiency and exergy efficiency, and larger energy storage density than the supercritical compressed CO2 energy storage. However, the configuration of supercritical compressed CO2 energy storage is simpler, and the energy storage densities of the two systems are both higher than that of PM-CAES, which is advantageous in terms of storage volume for a given

Integrated probabilistic assessment for DHC initiation, growth and leak-before-break of PHWR pressure tubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Young-Jin [Power Engineering Research Institute, KEPCO Engineering and Construction, 188 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 463-870 (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Yoon-Suk, E-mail: yschang@khu.ac.kr [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 446-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

Highlights: • We develop an integrated approach for probabilistic assessment of PHWR pressure tube. • We examine probabilities of DHC initiation, growth, penetration and LBB failure. • The proposed approach is helpful to calculate rupture probabilities in reactor flaws even in the case of very low rupture probability. - Abstract: A few hundred zirconium alloy pressure tubes in a pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) serve as the nuclear fuel channel, as well as the reactor coolant pressure boundary. The pressure tubes are inspected periodically and a fitness-for-service assessment (FFSA) must be conducted if any flaw is detected in the inspection. A Canadian standard provides FFSA procedures of PHWR pressure tubes, which include probabilistic assessment for flaws considering delayed hydride cracking (DHC) and leak-before-break (LBB). In the present study, an integrated approach with detailed stepwise calculation procedures and integration methodology for probabilistic assessment of pressure tube was developed. In the first step of this approach, a probability of the DHC initiation, growth and penetration for single initial flaw is calculated. In the next step, a probability of LBB failure, which means tube rupture, for single through-wall crack (TWC) is calculated. Finally, a rupture probability for all initial flaws in a reactor can be calculated using the penetration probability for single flaw and the LBB failure probability for single TWC, as well as the predicted total number of initial flaw in the reactor.

Integrated probabilistic assessment for DHC initiation, growth and leak-before-break of PHWR pressure tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Young-Jin; Chang, Yoon-Suk

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We develop an integrated approach for probabilistic assessment of PHWR pressure tube. • We examine probabilities of DHC initiation, growth, penetration and LBB failure. • The proposed approach is helpful to calculate rupture probabilities in reactor flaws even in the case of very low rupture probability. - Abstract: A few hundred zirconium alloy pressure tubes in a pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) serve as the nuclear fuel channel, as well as the reactor coolant pressure boundary. The pressure tubes are inspected periodically and a fitness-for-service assessment (FFSA) must be conducted if any flaw is detected in the inspection. A Canadian standard provides FFSA procedures of PHWR pressure tubes, which include probabilistic assessment for flaws considering delayed hydride cracking (DHC) and leak-before-break (LBB). In the present study, an integrated approach with detailed stepwise calculation procedures and integration methodology for probabilistic assessment of pressure tube was developed. In the first step of this approach, a probability of the DHC initiation, growth and penetration for single initial flaw is calculated. In the next step, a probability of LBB failure, which means tube rupture, for single through-wall crack (TWC) is calculated. Finally, a rupture probability for all initial flaws in a reactor can be calculated using the penetration probability for single flaw and the LBB failure probability for single TWC, as well as the predicted total number of initial flaw in the reactor

The Potosi Reservoir Model 2013c, Property Modeling Update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adushita, Yasmin; Smith, Valerie; Leetaru, Hannes

2014-09-30

rate declines gradually to 1.2 million tons per annum (1.1 MTPA) in year 18 and stays constant. This implies that a minimum of three (3) wells could be required in the Potosi to reach the injection target. The injectivity evaluated in this Task was higher compared to the preceding Task, since the current facies modeling (guided by the porosity map from the seismic inversion) indicated a higher density of vugs within the vugular zones. 5 As the CO2 follows the paths where vugs interconnection exists, a reasonably large and irregular plume extent was created. After 30 years of injection, the plume extends 13.7 mi (22 km) in E-W and 9.7 mi (16 km) in N-S directions. After injection finishes, the plume continues to migrate laterally, mainly driven by the remaining pressure gradient. After 60 years post-injection, the plume extends 14.2 mi (22.8 km) in E-W and 10 mi (16 km) in N-S directions, and remains constant as the remaining pressure gradient has become very low. Should the targeted cumulative injection of 106 million tons (96 MT) be achieved; a much larger plume extent could be expected. The increase of reservoir pressure at the end of injection is approximately 1,200 psia (8,274 kPa) around the injector and gradually decreases away from the well. The reservoir pressure increase is less than 10 psia (69 kPa) beyond 14 mi (23 km) away from injector. Should the targeted cumulative injection of 106 million tons (96 MT) be achieved; a much larger areal pressure increase could be expected. The reservoir pressure declines rapidly during the first 30 years post injection and the initial reservoir pressure is nearly restored after 100 years post-injection. The present evaluation is mainly associated with uncertainty on the vugs permeability and interconnectivity. The use of porosity mapping from seismic inversion might have reduced the uncertainty on the lateral vugs body distributions. However, major uncertainties on the Potosi vugs permeability remains. Therefore, injection

Effective Stress Law in Unconventional Reservoirs under Different Boundary Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Saurabh, S.; Harpalani, S.

2017-12-01

Unconventional reservoirs have attracted a great deal of research interest worldwide during the past two decades. Low permeability and specialized techniques required to exploit these resources present opportunities for improvement in both production rates and ultimate recovery. Understanding subsurface stress modifications and permeability evolution are valuable when evaluating the prospects of unconventional reservoirs. These reservoir properties are functions of effective stress. As a part of this study, effective stress law, specifically the variation of anisotropic Biot's coefficient under various boundary conditions believed to exist in gas reservoirs by different researchers, has been established. Pressure-dependent-permeability (PdK) experiments were carried out on San Juan coal under different boundary conditions, that is, uniaxial strain condition and constant volume condition. Stress and strain in the vertical and horizontal directions were monitored throughout the experiment. Data collected during the experiments was used to determine the Biot's coefficient in vertical and horizontal directions under these two boundary conditions, treating coal as transversely isotropic. The variation of Biot's coefficient was found to be well correlated with the variation in coal permeability. Based on the estimated values of Biot's coefficients, a theory of variation in its value is presented for other boundary conditions. The findings of the study shed light on the inherent behavior of Biot's coefficient under different reservoir boundary conditions. This knowledge can improve the modeling work requiring estimation of effective stress in reservoirs, such as, pressure-/stress- dependent permeability. At the same time, if the effective stresses are known with more certainty by other methods, it enables assessment of the unknown reservoir boundary conditions.

Response time verification of in situ hydraulic pressure sensors in a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, C.G.

1978-01-01

A method and apparatus for verifying response time in situ of hydraulic pressure and pressure differential sensing instrumentation in a nuclear circuit is disclosed. Hydraulic pressure at a reference sensor and at an in situ process sensor under test is varied according to a linear ramp. Sensor response time is then determined by comparison of the sensor electrical analog output signals. The process sensor is subjected to a relatively slowly changing and a relatively rapidly changing hydraulic pressure ramp signal to determine an upper bound for process sensor response time over the range of all pressure transients to which the sensor is required to respond. Signal linearity is independent of the volumetric displacement of the process sensor. The hydraulic signal generator includes a first pressurizable gas reservoir, a second pressurizable liquid and gas reservoir, a gate for rapidly opening a gas communication path between the two reservoirs, a throttle valve for regulating rate of gas pressure equalization between the two reservoirs, and hydraulic conduit means for simultaneously communicating a ramp of hydraulic pressure change between the liquid/gas reservoir and both a reference and a process sensor. By maintaining a sufficient pressure differential between the reservoirs and by maintaining a sufficient ratio of gas to liquid in the liquid/gas reservoir, excellent linearity and minimal transient effects can be achieved for all pressure ranges, magnitudes, and rates of change of interest

A pulse tube cryocooler with a cold reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, X. B.; Zhang, K. H.; Qiu, L. M.; Gan, Z. H.; Shen, X.; Xiang, S. J.

2013-02-01

Phase difference between pressure wave and mass flow is decisive to the cooling capacity of regenerative cryocoolers. Unlike the direct phase shifting using a piston or displacer in conventional Stirling or GM cryocoolers, the pulse tube cyocooler (PTC) indirectly adjusts the cold phase due to the absence of moving parts at the cold end. The present paper proposed and validated theoretically and experimentally a novel configuration of PTC, termed cold reservoir PTC, in which a reservoir together with an adjustable orifice is connected to the cold end of the pulse tube. The impedance from the additional orifice to the cold end helps to increase the mass flow in phase with the pressure wave at the cold end. Theoretical analyses with the linear model for the orifice and double-inlet PTCs indicate that the cooling performance can be improved by introducing the cold reservoir. The preliminary experiments with a home-made single-stage GM PTC further validated the results on the premise of minor opening of the cold-end orifice.

Liquid–liquid equilibria for reservoir fluids+monoethylene glycol and reservoir fluids+monoethylene glycol+water: Experimental measurements and modeling using the CPA EoS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frost, Michael; Kontogeorgis, Georgios; Stenby, Erling Halfdan

2013-01-01

for critical temperature, pressure and acentric factor.This work presents new phase equilibrium data for binary MEG/reservoir fluid and ternary MEG/water/reservoir fluid systems, where two reservoir fluids from Statoil operated fields are used. The solubility data are reported over a range of temperatures......The complex phase equilibrium between reservoir fluids and associating compounds like water and glycols has become more and more important as the increasing global energy demand pushes the oil industry to use advanced methods to increase oil recovery, such as increasing the use of various chemicals...... to ensure a constant and safe production. The CPA equation of state has been successfully applied in the past to well defined systems and gas condensates, containing associating compounds. It has also been extended to reservoir fluids in presence of water and polar chemicals using modified correlations...

Reservoir Identification: Parameter Characterization or Feature Classification

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, J.

2017-12-01

The ultimate goal of oil and gas exploration is to find the oil or gas reservoirs with industrial mining value. Therefore, the core task of modern oil and gas exploration is to identify oil or gas reservoirs on the seismic profiles. Traditionally, the reservoir is identify by seismic inversion of a series of physical parameters such as porosity, saturation, permeability, formation pressure, and so on. Due to the heterogeneity of the geological medium, the approximation of the inversion model and the incompleteness and noisy of the data, the inversion results are highly uncertain and must be calibrated or corrected with well data. In areas where there are few wells or no well, reservoir identification based on seismic inversion is high-risk. Reservoir identification is essentially a classification issue. In the identification process, the underground rocks are divided into reservoirs with industrial mining value and host rocks with non-industrial mining value. In addition to the traditional physical parameters classification, the classification may be achieved using one or a few comprehensive features. By introducing the concept of seismic-print, we have developed a new reservoir identification method based on seismic-print analysis. Furthermore, we explore the possibility to use deep leaning to discover the seismic-print characteristics of oil and gas reservoirs. Preliminary experiments have shown that the deep learning of seismic data could distinguish gas reservoirs from host rocks. The combination of both seismic-print analysis and seismic deep learning is expected to be a more robust reservoir identification method. The work was supported by NSFC under grant No. 41430323 and No. U1562219, and the National Key Research and Development Program under Grant No. 2016YFC0601

Local Refinement of the Super Element Model of Oil Reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.B. Mazo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a two-stage method for petroleum reservoir simulation. The method uses two models with different degrees of detailing to describe hydrodynamic processes of different space-time scales. At the first stage, the global dynamics of the energy state of the deposit and reserves is modeled (characteristic scale of such changes is km / year. The two-phase flow equations in the model of global dynamics operate with smooth averaged pressure and saturation fields, and they are solved numerically on a large computational grid of super-elements with a characteristic cell size of 200-500 m. The tensor coefficients of the super-element model are calculated using special procedures of upscaling of absolute and relative phase permeabilities. At the second stage, a local refinement of the super-element model is constructed for calculating small-scale processes (with a scale of m / day, which take place, for example, during various geological and technical measures aimed at increasing the oil recovery of a reservoir. Then we solve the two-phase flow problem in the selected area of the measure exposure on a detailed three-dimensional grid, which resolves the geological structure of the reservoir, and with a time step sufficient for describing fast-flowing processes. The initial and boundary conditions of the local problem are formulated on the basis of the super-element solution. This approach allows us to reduce the computational costs in order to solve the problems of designing and monitoring the oil reservoir. To demonstrate the proposed approach, we give an example of the two-stage modeling of the development of a layered reservoir with a local refinement of the model during the isolation of a water-saturated high-permeability interlayer. We show a good compliance between the locally refined solution of the super-element model in the area of measure exposure and the results of numerical modeling of the whole history of reservoir

APPLICATION OF RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE RECOVERY AND ECONOMICS IN A LOWER QUALITY SHALLOW SHELF SAN ANDRES RESERVOIR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tom Beebe

2003-05-05

The OXY-operated Class 2 Project at West Welch is designed to demonstrate how the use of advanced technology can improve the economics of miscible CO{sub 2} injection projects in lower quality Shallow Shelf Carbonate reservoirs. The research and design phase (Budget Period 1) primarily involved advanced reservoir characterization. The current demonstration phase (Budget Period 2) is the implementation of the reservoir management plan for an optimum miscible CO{sub 2} flood design based on the reservoir characterization. Although Budget Period 1 for the Project officially ended 12/31/96, reservoir characterization and simulation work continued during the Budget Period 2. During the seventh annual reporting period (8/3/00-8/2/01) covered by this report, work continued on interpretation of the interwell seismic data to create porosity and permeability profiles which were distributed into the reservoir geostatistically. The initial interwell seismic CO{sub 2} monitor survey was conducted and the acquired data processed and interpretation started. Only limited well work and facility construction were conducted in the project area. The CO{sub 2} injection initiated in October 1997 was continued, although the operator had to modify the operating plan in response to low injection rates, well performance and changes in CO{sub 2} supply. CO{sub 2} injection was focused in a smaller area to increase the reservoir processing rate. By the end of the reporting period three producers had shown sustained oil rate increases and six wells had experienced gas (CO{sub 2}) breakthrough.

Kraus map for non-Markovian quantum dynamics driven by a thermal reservoir

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Wonderen, A.J.; Suttorp, L.G.

2013-01-01

Starting from unitary dynamics we study the evolution in time of a non-relativistic quantum system that exchanges energy with a thermal reservoir of harmonic oscillators. System and reservoir are assumed to be initially decorrelated. Reservoir correlation functions are factorized by means of a Kraus

Producing Light Oil from a Frozen Reservoir: Reservoir and Fluid Characterization of Umiat Field, National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanks, Catherine

2012-12-31

Umiat oil field is a light oil in a shallow, frozen reservoir in the Brooks Range foothills of northern Alaska with estimated oil-in-place of over 1 billion barrels. Umiat field was discovered in the 1940’s but was never considered viable because it is shallow, in the permafrost, and far from any transportation infrastructure. The advent of modern drilling and production techniques has made Umiat and similar fields in northern Alaska attractive exploration and production targets. Since 2008 UAF has been working with Renaissance Alaska Inc. and, more recently, Linc Energy, to develop a more robust reservoir model that can be combined with rock and fluid property data to simulate potential production techniques. This work will be used to by Linc Energy as they prepare to drill up to 5 horizontal wells during the 2012-2013 drilling season. This new work identified three potential reservoir horizons within the Cretaceous Nanushuk Formation: the Upper and Lower Grandstand sands, and the overlying Ninuluk sand, with the Lower Grandstand considered the primary target. Seals are provided by thick interlayered shales. Reserve estimates for the Lower Grandstand alone range from 739 million barrels to 2437 million barrels, with an average of 1527 million bbls. Reservoir simulations predict that cold gas injection from a wagon-wheel pattern of multilateral injectors and producers located on 5 drill sites on the crest of the structure will yield 12-15% recovery, with actual recovery depending upon the injection pressure used, the actual Kv/Kh encountered, and other geologic factors. Key to understanding the flow behavior of the Umiat reservoir is determining the permeability structure of the sands. Sandstones of the Cretaceous Nanushuk Formation consist of mixed shoreface and deltaic sandstones and mudstones. A core-based study of the sedimentary facies of these sands combined with outcrop observations identified six distinct facies associations with distinctive permeability

Initial distribution of pressure and temperature in the geothermal field of Los Humeros, Puebla; Distribucion inicial de presion y temperatura del campo geotermico de Los Humeros, Puebla

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arellano Gomez, Victor M.; Garcia Gutierrez, Alfonso; Barragan Reyes, Rosa Maria; Aragon Aguilar, Alfonso; Pizano, Arturo [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Temixco, Morelos (Mexico)

2000-07-01

In order to infer the distributions of non disturbed pressure and temperature of the reservoir fluid, a considerable amount of information originating from several disciplines was analyzed, corresponding to 42 wells of the geothermal field of Los Humeros. On the base of the analyzed data models were developed, in one and two dimensions, of the reservoir in an initial state. The models reveal the existence of at least two reservoirs. The first one and most superficial is located between 1600 and 1025 m.a.s.l. and it is a reservoir of dominant liquid. The pressure profile of this reservoir corresponds to a boiling water column approximately between 300 and 339 Celsius degrees. The second reservoir is located underneath the 850 m.a.s.l. and as far as the collected data, it can be said that it extends at least until the 100 m.a.s.l and it is estimated that it is a reservoir of low liquid saturation. For the wells that are fed from this zone of the field temperatures between 300 and 400 Celsius degrees were estimated. A table of the geology of the subsoil of the region of the Los Humeros is shown and a table where the chemical composition of the separated water is indicated and the enthalpy of some of the wells of Los Humeros, Puebla, Mexico. [Spanish] Para inferir las distribuciones de presion y temperatura no perturbadas del fluido del yacimiento, se analizo una considerable cantidad de informacion proveniente de varias disciplinas, correspondiente a 42 pozos del campo geotermico de Los Humeros. Sobre la base de los datos analizados se desarrollaron modelos, en una y dos dimensiones, del yacimiento en un estado inicial. Los modelos revelan la existencia de cuando menos dos yacimientos. El primero y mas superficial se encuentra localizado entre 1600 y 1025 m.s.n.m. y es un yacimiento de liquido dominante. El perfil de presion de este yacimiento corresponde a una columna de agua en ebullicion aproximadamente entre 300 y 339 grados centigrados. El segundo yacimiento se

Initial hematoma pressure and clinical recurrence of chronic subdural hematoma in cases where percutaneous subdural tapping was performed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okamura, Akitake; Kawamoto, Yukihiko; Yoshioka, Hiroyuki; Murakami, Taro; Yonezawa, Koki

2012-01-01

Percutaneous subdural tapping for chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) can measure initial hematoma pressure, which cannot be measured using burr-hole craniotomy. Initial hematoma pressure has not been discussed as a risk factor for recurrence. We evaluated the clinical features for recurrence, which included initial hematoma pressure. The study involved 71 unilateral CSDH cases whose initial hematoma pressure was measured using percutaneous subdural tapping. Clinical recurrence was identified in 19 cases (23%). Age, sex, neurological grading, alcohol consumption, presence of head injury, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, antiplatelet, anticoagulant medication, hematoma volume on computed tomography (CT) images, and initial hematoma pressure were compared between non-recurrence and recurrence groups. The initial hematoma pressure was 12.6±4.5 cmH 2 O in the non-recurrence group, and 15.5±6.2 cmH 2 O in the recurrence group (p<0.05). The other factors did not differ significantly except hematoma volume on CT images (92±45 ml in the non-recurrence group and 123±43 ml in the recurrence group, p<0.05). Cases with high initial hematoma pressure should be closely observed. (author)

The Ahuachapan geothermal field, El Salvador: Reservoir analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aunzo, Z.; Bodvarsson, G.S.; Laky, C.; Lippmann, M.J.; Steingrimsson, B.; Truesdell, A.H.; Witherspoon, P.A. (Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA); Icelandic National Energy Authority, Reykjavik (Iceland); Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (USA); Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA))

1989-08-01

The Earth Sciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) is conducting a reservoir evaluation study of the Ahuachapan geothermal field in El Salvador. This work is being performed in cooperation with the Comision Ejecutiva Hidroelectrica del Rio Lempa (CEL) and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This report describes the work done during the first year of the study (FY 1988--89), and includes the (1) development of geological and conceptual models of the field, (2) evaluation of the initial thermodynamic and chemical conditions and their changes during exploitation, (3) evaluation of interference test data and the observed reservoir pressure decline, and (4) the development of a natural state model for the field. The geological model of the field indicates that there are seven (7) major and five (5) minor faults that control the fluid movement in the Ahuachapan area. Some of the faults act as a barrier to flow as indicated by large temperature declines towards the north and west. Other faults act as preferential pathways to flow. The Ahuachapan Andesites provide good horizontal permeability to flow and provide most of the fluids to the wells. The underlying Older Agglomerates also contribute to well production, but considerably less than the Andesites. 84 refs.

Geological Model of Supercritical Geothermal Reservoir on the Top of the Magma Chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuchiya, N.

2017-12-01

We are conducting supercritical geothermal project, and deep drilling project named as "JBBP: Japan Beyond Brittle Project" The temperatures of geothermal fields operating in Japan range from 200 to 300 °C (average 250 °C), and the depths range from 1000 to 2000 m (average 1500 m). In conventional geothermal reservoirs, the mechanical behavior of the rocks is presumed to be brittle, and convection of the hydrothermal fluid through existing network is the main method of circulation in the reservoir. In order to minimize induced seismicity, a rock mass that is "beyond brittle" is one possible candidate, because the rock mechanics of "beyond brittle" material is one of plastic deformation rather than brittle failure. To understand the geological model of a supercritical geothermal reservoir, granite-porphyry system, which had been formed in subduction zone, was investigated as a natural analog of the supercritical geothermal energy system. Quartz veins, hydrothermal breccia veins, and glassy veins are observed in a granitic body. The glassy veins formed at 500-550 °C under lithostatic pressures, and then pressures dropped drastically. The solubility of silica also dropped, resulting in formation of quartz veins under a hydrostatic pressure regime. Connections between the lithostatic and hydrostatic pressure regimes were key to the formation of the hydrothermal breccia veins, and the granite-porphyry system provides useful information for creation of fracture clouds in supercritical geothermal reservoirs. A granite-porphyry system, associated with hydrothermal activity and mineralization, provides a suitable natural analog for studying a deep-seated geothermal reservoir where stockwork fracture systems are created in the presence of supercritical geothermal fluids. I describe fracture networks and their formation mechanisms using petrology and fluid inclusion studies in order to understand this "beyond brittle" supercritical geothermal reservoir, and a geological

Complete Fiber/Copper Cable Solution for Long-Term Temperature and Pressure Measurement in Supercritical Reservoirs and EGS Wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pastouret, Alan [Draka Cableteq USA, Inc., North Dighton, MA (United States); Gooijer, Frans [Draka Cableteq USA, Inc., North Dighton, MA (United States); Overton, Bob [Draka Cableteq USA, Inc., North Dighton, MA (United States); Jonker, Jan [Draka Cableteq USA, Inc., North Dighton, MA (United States); Curley, Jim [Draka Cableteq USA, Inc., North Dighton, MA (United States); Constantine, Walter [Draka Cableteq USA, Inc., North Dighton, MA (United States); Waterman, Kendall Miller [Draka Cableteq USA, Inc., North Dighton, MA (United States)

2015-11-13

High Temperature insulated wire and optical fiber cable is a key enabling technology for the Geothermal Technologies Program (GTP). Without insulated electrical wires and optical fiber, downhole temperature and pressure sensors, flow meters and gauges cannot communicate with the surface. Unfortunately, there are currently no insulated electrical wire or fiber cable constructions capable of surviving for extended periods of deployment in a geothermal well (240-325°C) or supercritical (374°C) reservoir. This has severely hindered engineered reservoir creation, management and utilization, as hot zones and cool water intrusions cannot be understood over time. The lack of a insulated electrical wire and fiber cable solution is a fundamental limitation to the viability of this energy source. The High Temperature Downhole Tools target specification is development of tools and sensors for logging and monitoring wellbore conditions at depths of up to 10,000 meters and temperatures up to 374oC. It well recognized in the industry that no current electronic or fiber cable can be successfully deployed in a well and function successfully for more a few days at temperatures over 240oC. The goal of this project was to raise this performance level significantly. Prysmian Group’s objective in this project was to develop a complete, multi-purpose cable solution for long-term deployment in geothermal wells/reservoirs that can be used with the widest variety of sensors. In particular, the overall project objective was to produce a manufacturable cable design that can perform without serious degradation: • At temperatures up to 374°C; • At pressures up to 220 bar; • In a hydrogen-rich environment; and • For the life of the well (> 5 years). This cable incorporates: • Specialty optical fibers, with specific glass chemistry and high temperature and pressure protective coatings for data communication and distributed temperature and pressure sensing, and • High

Root-Contact/Pressure-Plate Assembly For Hydroponic System

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Carlton E.; Loretan, Philip A.; Bonsi, Conrad K.; Hill, Walter A.

1994-01-01

Hydroponic system includes growth channels equipped with rootcontact/pressure-plate assemblies. Pump and associated plumbing circulate nutrient liquid from reservoir, along bottom of growth channels, and back to reservoir. Root-contact/pressure-plate assembly in each growth channel stimulates growth of roots by applying mild contact pressure. Flat plate and plate connectors, together constitute pressure plate, free to move upward to accommodate growth of roots. System used for growing sweetpotatoes and possibly other tuber and root crops.

A Novel Method for Performance Analysis of Compartmentalized Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahamat Mohammad Sadeq

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a simple analytical model for performance analysis of compartmentalized reservoirs producing under Constant Terminal Rate (CTR and Constant Terminal Pressure (CTP. The model is based on the well-known material balance and boundary dominated flow equations and is written in terms of capacitance and resistance of a production and a support compartment. These capacitance and resistance terms account for a combination of reservoir parameters which enable the developed model to be used for characterizing such systems. In addition to considering the properties contrast between the two reservoir compartments, the model takes into account existence of transmissibility barriers with the use of resistance terms. The model is used to analyze production performance of unconventional reservoirs, where the multistage fracturing of horizontal wells effectively creates a Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV with an enhanced permeability surrounded by a non-stimulated region. It can also be used for analysis of compartmentalized conventional reservoirs. The analytical solutions provide type curves through which the controlling reservoirs parameters of a compartmentalized system can be estimated. The contribution of the supporting compartment is modeled based on a boundary dominated flow assumption. The transient behaviour of the support compartment is captured by application of “distance of investigation” concept. The model shows that depletion of the production and support compartments exhibit two unit slopes on a log-log plot of pressure versus time for CTR. For CTP, however, the depletions display two exponential declines. The depletion signatures are separated by transition periods, which depend on the contribution of the support compartment (i.e. transient or boundary dominated flow. The developed equations can be implemented easily in a spreadsheet application, and are corroborated with the use of a numerical simulation. The study

TRANSFER RESERVOIR AS A RAINWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Malmur

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Intensive rainfalls and snow melting often cause floods in protected areas and overflow the existing sewage systems. Such cases are particularly burdensome for the inhabitants and cause considerable physical losses. One of the possible constructional solutions to ensure the effective outflow of stormwater are transfer reservoirs located between the draining system and a receiver set discussed in this paper. If gravity outflow of sewage is impossible, the initial part of sewage volume is accumulated in the transfer reservoir and then it is transferred into the water receiver set. However, gravity discharge of sewage to the water receiver set occurs through transfer chambers in the transfer reservoir.

Integration of rock typing methods for carbonate reservoir characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aliakbardoust, E; Rahimpour-Bonab, H

2013-01-01

Reservoir rock typing is the most important part of all reservoir modelling. For integrated reservoir rock typing, static and dynamic properties need to be combined, but sometimes these two are incompatible. The failure is due to the misunderstanding of the crucial parameters that control the dynamic behaviour of the reservoir rock and thus selecting inappropriate methods for defining static rock types. In this study, rock types were defined by combining the SCAL data with the rock properties, particularly rock fabric and pore types. First, air-displacing-water capillary pressure curues were classified because they are representative of fluid saturation and behaviour under capillary forces. Next the most important rock properties which control the fluid flow and saturation behaviour (rock fabric and pore types) were combined with defined classes. Corresponding petrophysical properties were also attributed to reservoir rock types and eventually, defined rock types were compared with relative permeability curves. This study focused on representing the importance of the pore system, specifically pore types in fluid saturation and entrapment in the reservoir rock. The most common tests in static rock typing, such as electrofacies analysis and porosity–permeability correlation, were carried out and the results indicate that these are not appropriate approaches for reservoir rock typing in carbonate reservoirs with a complicated pore system. (paper)

Integrating gravimetric and interferometric synthetic aperture radar data for enhancing reservoir history matching of carbonate gas and volatile oil reservoirs

KAUST Repository

Katterbauer, Klemens

2016-08-25

Reservoir history matching is assuming a critical role in understanding reservoir characteristics, tracking water fronts, and forecasting production. While production data have been incorporated for matching reservoir production levels and estimating critical reservoir parameters, the sparse spatial nature of this dataset limits the efficiency of the history matching process. Recently, gravimetry techniques have significantly advanced to the point of providing measurement accuracy in the microgal range and consequently can be used for the tracking of gas displacement caused by water influx. While gravity measurements provide information on subsurface density changes, i.e., the composition of the reservoir, these data do only yield marginal information about temporal displacements of oil and inflowing water. We propose to complement gravimetric data with interferometric synthetic aperture radar surface deformation data to exploit the strong pressure deformation relationship for enhancing fluid flow direction forecasts. We have developed an ensemble Kalman-filter-based history matching framework for gas, gas condensate, and volatile oil reservoirs, which synergizes time-lapse gravity and interferometric synthetic aperture radar data for improved reservoir management and reservoir forecasts. Based on a dual state-parameter estimation algorithm separating the estimation of static reservoir parameters from the dynamic reservoir parameters, our numerical experiments demonstrate that history matching gravity measurements allow monitoring the density changes caused by oil-gas phase transition and water influx to determine the saturation levels, whereas the interferometric synthetic aperture radar measurements help to improve the forecasts of hydrocarbon production and water displacement directions. The reservoir estimates resulting from the dual filtering scheme are on average 20%-40% better than those from the joint estimation scheme, but require about a 30% increase in

Modeling reservoir geomechanics using discrete element method : Application to reservoir monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alassi, Haitham Tayseer

2008-09-15

larger than the P-wave velocity. A Modified Discrete Element Approach is introduced because of limitations imposed by the regular DEM. The modified approach works on clusters made of three elements each. Each cluster behaves like a continuum medium before failure and like a DEM medium after failure. The method is tested using several numerical examples. The modified approach is used to model reservoir geomechanical behavior for two North Sea reservoirs. The first model is based on the Gullfaks field, where fracture development during fluid injection is modeled. Two scenarios are modeled, the first scenario shows a possibility of creating vertical fractures and the second shows the possibility of creating horizontal fractures. The directions of the fractures are mainly sensitive to the initial effective stresses of the reservoir. Based on a Gullfaks 4D seismic s cross-section, the horizontal fractures scenario appears to be a more likely possibility. 2D cross-sections from the Elgin-Franklin field are used to model the effects of fault reactivation on the stress field around a depleted reservoir. A 4D seismic s cross-section for the Elgin-Franklin reservoir is used for comparison. The cross-section shows a possibility of using 4D seismic s data to predict fault reactivation based on velocity changes. We can not, at this stage, rule out that the velocity changes shown on the 4D seismic s cross-section correspond to the stress changes around the reactivated fault obtained from the geomechanical model. (author) 88 refs, figs., tabs

analysis of pressure variation of fluid in bounded circular reservoirs

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

analysis of the analysed finite element, imposing the boundary conditions and finally, getting the results that ... in reservoir engineering applications [2–7]. ... THEORY. The law of conservation of mass, Darcy's law and the equation of state has been combined to obtain the ..... fields in laser-two-layer solids weak interactions.

Reservoir characterization of Pennsylvanian sandstone reservoirs. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelkar, M.

1995-02-01

This final report summarizes the progress during the three years of a project on Reservoir Characterization of Pennsylvanian Sandstone Reservoirs. The report is divided into three sections: (i) reservoir description; (ii) scale-up procedures; (iii) outcrop investigation. The first section describes the methods by which a reservoir can be described in three dimensions. The next step in reservoir description is to scale up reservoir properties for flow simulation. The second section addresses the issue of scale-up of reservoir properties once the spatial descriptions of properties are created. The last section describes the investigation of an outcrop.

Limno-reservoirs as a new landscape, environmental and touristic resource: Pareja Limno-reservoir as a case of study (Guadalajara, Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Carrión, I.; Sastre-Merlín, A.; Martínez-Pérez, S.; Molina-Navarro, E.; Bienes-Allas, R.

2012-04-01

A limno-reservoir is a hydrologic infrastructure with the main goal of generating a body of water with a constant level in the riverine zone of a reservoir, building a dam that makes de limno-reservoir independent from the main body of water. This dam can be built in the main river supplying the reservoir or any tributary as well flowing into it. Despite its novel conception and design, around a dozen are already operative in some Spanish reservoirs. This infrastructure allows the new water body to be independent of the main reservoir management, so the water level stability is its main distinctive characteristic. It leads to the development of environmental, sports and cultural initiatives; which may be included in a touristic exploitation in a wide sense. An opinion poll was designed in 2009 to be carried out the Pareja Limno-reservoir (Entrepeñas reservoir area, Tajo River Basin, central Spain). The results showed that for both, Pareja inhabitants and occasional visitors, the limno-reservoir has become an important touristic resource, mainly demanded during summer season. The performance of leisure activities (especially swimming) are being the main brand of this novel hydraulic and environmental infrastructure, playing a role as corrective and/or compensatory action which is needed to apply in order to mitigate the environmental impacts of the large hydraulic constructions.

Quantification of a maximum injection volume of CO2 to avert geomechanical perturbations using a compositional fluid flow reservoir simulator

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Hojung; Singh, Gurpreet; Espinoza, D. Nicolas; Wheeler, Mary F.

2018-02-01

Subsurface CO2 injection and storage alters formation pressure. Changes of pore pressure may result in fault reactivation and hydraulic fracturing if the pressure exceeds the corresponding thresholds. Most simulation models predict such thresholds utilizing relatively homogeneous reservoir rock models and do not account for CO2 dissolution in the brine phase to calculate pore pressure evolution. This study presents an estimation of reservoir capacity in terms of allowable injection volume and rate utilizing the Frio CO2 injection site in the coast of the Gulf of Mexico as a case study. The work includes laboratory core testing, well-logging data analyses, and reservoir numerical simulation. We built a fine-scale reservoir model of the Frio pilot test in our in-house reservoir simulator IPARS (Integrated Parallel Accurate Reservoir Simulator). We first performed history matching of the pressure transient data of the Frio pilot test, and then used this history-matched reservoir model to investigate the effect of the CO2 dissolution into brine and predict the implications of larger CO2 injection volumes. Our simulation results -including CO2 dissolution- exhibited 33% lower pressure build-up relative to the simulation excluding dissolution. Capillary heterogeneity helps spread the CO2 plume and facilitate early breakthrough. Formation expansivity helps alleviate pore pressure build-up. Simulation results suggest that the injection schedule adopted during the actual pilot test very likely did not affect the mechanical integrity of the storage complex. Fault reactivation requires injection volumes of at least about sixty times larger than the actual injected volume at the same injection rate. Hydraulic fracturing necessitates much larger injection rates than the ones used in the Frio pilot test. Tested rock samples exhibit ductile deformation at in-situ effective stresses. Hence, we do not expect an increase of fault permeability in the Frio sand even in the presence of

Reservoir compartmentalization and management strategies: Lessons learned in the Illinois basin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grube, J.P.; Crockett, J.E.; Huff, B.G. [and others

1997-08-01

A research project jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the Illinois State Geological Survey focused on the Cypress and Aux Vases Formations (Mississippian), major clastic reservoirs in the Illinois Basin. Results from the research showed that understanding the nature and distribution of reservoir compartments, and using effective reservoir management strategies, can significantly improve recovery efficiencies from oil fields in this mature basin. Compartments can be most effectively drained where they are geologically well defined and reservoir management practices are coordinated through unified, compartment-wide, development programs. Our studies showed that the Cypress and Aux Vases reservoirs contain lateral and vertical permeability barriers forming compartments that range in size from isolated, interlaminated sandstone and shale beds to sandstone bodies tens of feet in thickness and more than a mile in length. Stacked or shingled, genetically similar sandstone bodies are commonly separated by thin impermeable intervals that can be difficult to distinguish on logs and can, therefore, cause correlation problems, even between wells drilled on spacing of less than ten acres. Lateral separation of sandstone bodies causes similar problems. Reservoir compartmentalization reduces primary and particularly secondary recovery by trapping pockets of by-passed or banked oil. Compartments can be detected by comparing recovery factors of genetically similar sandstone bodies within a field; using packers to separate commingled intervals and analyzing fluid recoveries and pressures; making detailed core-to-log calibrations that identify compartment boundaries; and analyzing pressure data from waterflood programs.

Mercury-free PVT apparatus for thermophysical property analyses of hydrocarbon reservoir fluids. Final report, August 16, 1990--July 31, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lansangan, R.M.; Lievois, J.S.

1992-08-31

Typical reservoir fluid analyses of complex, multicomponent hydrocarbon mixtures include the volumetric properties, isothermal compressibility, thermal expansivity, equilibrium ratios, saturation pressure, viscosities, etc. These parameters are collectively referred to as PVT properties, an acronym for the primary state variables; pressure, volume, and temperature. The reservoir engineer incorporates this information together with the porous media description in performing material balance calculations. These calculations lead to the determination (estimation) of the initial hydrocarbon in-place, the future reservoir performance, the optimal production scheme, and the ultimate hydrocarbon recovery. About four years ago, Ruska Instrument Corporation embarked on a project to develop an apparatus designed to measure PVT properties that operates free of mercury. The result of this endeavor is the 2370 Hg-Free PVT system which has been in the market for the last three years. The 2370 has evolved from the prototype unit to its present configuration which is described briefly in this report. The 2370 system, although developed as a system-engineered apparatus based on existing technology, has not been exempt from this burden-of-proof Namely, the performance of the apparatus under routine test conditions with real reservoir fluids. This report summarizes the results of the performance and applications testing of the 2370 Hg-Free PVT system. Density measurements were conducted on a pure fluid. The results were compared against literature values and the prediction of an equation of state. Routine reservoir fluid analyses were conducted with a black oil and a retrograde condensate gas mixtures. Limited comparison of the results were performed based on the same tests performed on a conventional mercury-based PVT apparatus. The results of these tests are included in this report.

The diet of reservoir perch before, during and after establishment of non-native tubenose goby

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Všetičková Lucie

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In recent decades, gobiid species have increased their distribution throughout Europe and now often represent the dominant genus along many rivers and canals. In this study, we assessed the role of tubenose goby (Proterorhinus semilunaris as a prey species of native perch (Perca fluviatilis in a lowland reservoir soon after their initial introduction in 1994 (sampling started 1998 and 17 years after establishment (2011–2012. We compare these data with perch diet composition from before introduction (1981–1982. Our data indicate that tubenose gobies quickly became the dominant species along the reservoir bankside, making them an attractive prey for ≥1 + perch. There was a clear increasing trend in the numbers of larger perch caught along the rip-rap, with the largest fish clearly specialising on gobies. As such, introduction of tubenose gobies has had a pronounced effect on food web and population dynamics along the littoral zone. While goby numbers appear to have dropped significantly in recent years, apparently due to predation pressure, further studies are needed to assess whether such changes have had any general impact on population and food web dynamics within the reservoir.

Brine flow up a borehole caused by pressure perturbation from CO2 storage: Static and dynamic evaluations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Birkholzer, J.T.; Nicot, J.-P.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Zhou, Q.; Kraemer, S.; Bandilla, K.W.

2011-05-01

Industrial-scale storage of CO{sub 2} in saline sedimentary basins will cause zones of elevated pressure, larger than the CO{sub 2} plume itself. If permeable conduits (e.g., leaking wells) exist between the injection reservoir and overlying shallow aquifers, brine could be pushed upwards along these conduits and mix with groundwater resources. This paper discusses the potential for such brine leakage to occur in temperature- and salinity-stratified systems. Using static mass-balance calculations as well as dynamic well flow simulations, we evaluate the minimum reservoir pressure that would generate continuous migration of brine up a leaking wellbore into a freshwater aquifer. Since the brine invading the well is denser than the initial fluid in the wellbore, continuous flow only occurs if the pressure perturbation in the reservoir is large enough to overcome the increased fluid column weight after full invasion of brine into the well. If the threshold pressure is exceeded, brine flow rates are dependent on various hydraulic (and other) properties, in particular the effective permeability of the wellbore and the magnitude of pressure increase. If brine flow occurs outside of the well casing, e.g., in a permeable fracture zone between the well cement and the formation, the fluid/solute transfer between the migrating fluid and the surrounding rock units can strongly retard brine flow. At the same time, the threshold pressure for continuous flow to occur decreases compared to a case with no fluid/solute transfer.

Spatial and temporal assessment of the initial pattern of phytoplankton population in a newly built coastal reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Xiangyu; Yang, Kai; Che, Yue; Wang, Mingwei; Zhou, Lili; Chen, Liqiao

2016-09-01

For decades, the main threat to the water security of a metropolis, such as the city of Shanghai, has been the rapidly growing demand for water and at the same time, the decrease in water quality, including eutrophication. Therefore Shanghai shifted the preferred freshwater source to the Yangtze Estuary and constructed the Qingcaosha Reservoir, which is subject to less eutrophic water from the Yangtze River. To assess the population of phytoplankton for the first time in the newly built reservoir, this study improved an integrated method to assess the phytoplankton pattern in large-water-area reservoirs and lakes, using partial triadic analysis and Geographic Information Systems. Monthly sampling and monitoring from 10 stations in the reservoir from July 2010 to December 2011 were conducted. The study examined the common pattern of the phytoplankton population structure and determined the differences in the specific composition of the phytoplankton community during the transition period of the reservoir. The results suggest that in all but three sampling stations in the upper parts of Qingcaosha Reservoir, there was a strong common compromise in 2011. The two most important periods occurred from late summer to autumn and from winter to early spring. The former was characterized by the dominance of cyanobacteria, whereas the latter was characterized by the dominance of both chlorophyta and diatoms. Cyanobacteria ( Microcystis spp. as the main genus) were the monopolistic dominant species in the summer after reservoir operation. The statistical analysis also indicated the necessity for regular monitoring to focus on the stations in the lower parts of the reservoir and on several limited species.

Influences of porous reservoir Laplace pressure on emissions from passively fed ionic liquid electrospray sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Courtney, Daniel G., E-mail: dcourtney@alum.mit.edu; Shea, Herbert [Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Microsystems for Space Technologies Laboratory (LMTS), Neuchatel CH-2002 (Switzerland)

2015-09-07

Passively fed ionic liquid electrospray sources are capable of efficiently emitting a variety of ion beams with promising applications to spacecraft propulsion and as focused ion beams. Practical devices will require integrated or coupled ionic liquid reservoirs; the effects of which have not been explored in detail. Porous reservoirs are a simple, scalable solution. However, we have shown that their pore size can dramatically alter the beam composition. Emitting the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(triflouromethylsulfonyl)amide, the same device was shown to yield either an ion or droplet dominated beam when using reservoirs of small or large pore size, respectively; with the latter having a mass flow in excess of 15 times larger than the former at negative polarity. Another source, emitting nearly purely ionic beams of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, was similarly shown to emit a significant droplet population when coupled to reservoirs of large (>100 μm) pores; constituting a reduction in propulsive efficiency from greater than 70% to less than 30%. Furthermore, we show that reservoir selection can alter the voltage required to obtain and sustain emission, increasing with smaller pore size.

Seismic Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Saturation in Deep-Water Reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael Batzle

2006-04-30

During this last period of the ''Seismic Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Saturation in Deep-Water Reservoirs'' project (Grant/Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-02NT15342), we finalized integration of rock physics, well log analysis, seismic processing, and forward modeling techniques. Most of the last quarter was spent combining the results from the principal investigators and come to some final conclusions about the project. Also much of the effort was directed towards technology transfer through the Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators mini-symposium at UH and through publications. As a result we have: (1) Tested a new method to directly invert reservoir properties, water saturation, Sw, and porosity from seismic AVO attributes; (2) Constrained the seismic response based on fluid and rock property correlations; (3) Reprocessed seismic data from Ursa field; (4) Compared thin layer property distributions and averaging on AVO response; (5) Related pressures and sorting effects on porosity and their influence on DHI's; (6) Examined and compared gas saturation effects for deep and shallow reservoirs; (7) Performed forward modeling using geobodies from deepwater outcrops; (8) Documented velocities for deepwater sediments; (9) Continued incorporating outcrop descriptive models in seismic forward models; (10) Held an open DHI symposium to present the final results of the project; (11) Relations between Sw, porosity, and AVO attributes; (12) Models of Complex, Layered Reservoirs; and (14) Technology transfer Several factors can contribute to limit our ability to extract accurate hydrocarbon saturations in deep water environments. Rock and fluid properties are one factor, since, for example, hydrocarbon properties will be considerably different with great depths (high pressure) when compared to shallow properties. Significant over pressure, on the other hand will make the rocks behave as if they were shallower. In addition to the physical properties, the scale and

Application of Reservoir Flow Simulation Integrated with Geomechanics in Unconventional Tight Play

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Menglu; Chen, Shengnan; Mbia, Ernest; Chen, Zhangxing

2018-01-01

Multistage hydraulic fracturing techniques, combined with horizontal drilling, have enabled commercial production from the vast reserves of unconventional tight formations. During hydraulic fracturing, fracturing fluid and proppants are pumped into the reservoir matrix to create the hydraulic fractures. Understanding the propagation mechanism of hydraulic fractures is essential to estimate their properties, such as half-length. In addition, natural fractures are often present in tight formations, which might be activated during the fracturing process and contribute to the post-stimulation well production rates. In this study, reservoir simulation is integrated with rock geomechanics to predict the well post-stimulation productivities. Firstly, a reservoir geological model is built based on the field data collected from the Montney formation in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. The hydraulic fracturing process is then simulated through an integrated approach of fracturing fluid injection, rock geomechanics, and tensile failure criteria. In such a process, the reservoir pore pressure increases with a continuous injection of the fracturing fluid and proppants, decreasing the effective stress exerted on the rock matrix accordingly as the overburden pressure remains constant. Once the effective stress drops to a threshold value, tensile failure of the reservoir rock occurs, creating hydraulic fractures in the formation. The early production history of the stimulated well is history-matched to validate the predicted fracture geometries (e.g., half-length) generated from the fracturing simulation process. The effects of the natural fracture properties and well bottom-hole pressures on well productivity are also studied. It has been found that nearly 40% of hydraulic fractures propagate in the beginning stage (the pad step) of the fracturing schedule. In addition, well post-stimulation productivity will increase significantly if the natural fractures are propped or

Analytical solution for Joule-Thomson cooling during CO2 geo-sequestration in depleted oil and gas reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mathias, S.A.; Gluyas, J.G.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Tsang, C.-F.

2010-05-21

Mathematical tools are needed to screen out sites where Joule-Thomson cooling is a prohibitive factor for CO{sub 2} geo-sequestration and to design approaches to mitigate the effect. In this paper, a simple analytical solution is developed by invoking steady-state flow and constant thermophysical properties. The analytical solution allows fast evaluation of spatiotemporal temperature fields, resulting from constant-rate CO{sub 2} injection. The applicability of the analytical solution is demonstrated by comparison with non-isothermal simulation results from the reservoir simulator TOUGH2. Analysis confirms that for an injection rate of 3 kg s{sup -1} (0.1 MT yr{sup -1}) into moderately warm (>40 C) and permeable formations (>10{sup -14} m{sup 2} (10 mD)), JTC is unlikely to be a problem for initial reservoir pressures as low as 2 MPa (290 psi).

Condensate recovery by cycling at declining pressures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Havlena, Z G; Griffith, J D; Pot, R; Kiel, O G

1967-06-05

Cycling condensate reservoirs under conditions of declining pressure, rather than constant pressure, is advantageous from both a recovery and an economic standpoint. Wet gas displaced from the swept areas is recovered concurrently with wet gas recovered by gas expansion from the unswept portions of the reservoir. Any liquid condensed in the swept areas is revaporized by dry injection gas and recovered as an enriched gas. By this mode of operation, high condensate recovery is obtained, gas sales may be possible at an earlier stage of depletion, more flexibility in field and plant operations is feasible and reduction of 15% in investment and operating costs is achieved. Injection gas requirements are reduced by 40%. The Windfall reservoir in Canada has been successfully produced in this manner, starting in 1962. It is a typical retrograde type reservoir which in 1965 represented 15% of reservoirs exploited in North America.

Reservoir management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satter, A.; Varnon, J.E.; Hoang, M.T.

1992-01-01

A reservoir's life begins with exploration leading to discovery followed by delineation of the reservoir, development of the field, production by primary, secondary and tertiary means, and finally to abandonment. Sound reservoir management is the key to maximizing economic operation of the reservoir throughout its entire life. Technological advances and rapidly increasing computer power are providing tools to better manage reservoirs and are increasing the gap between good and neural reservoir management. The modern reservoir management process involves goal setting, planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and revising plans. Setting a reservoir management strategy requires knowledge of the reservoir, availability of technology, and knowledge of the business, political, and environmental climate. Formulating a comprehensive management plan involves depletion and development strategies, data acquisition and analyses, geological and numerical model studies, production and reserves forecasts, facilities requirements, economic optimization, and management approval. This paper provides management, engineers, geologists, geophysicists, and field operations staff with a better understanding of the practical approach to reservoir management using a multidisciplinary, integrated team approach

Reservoir management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satter, A.; Varnon, J.E.; Hoang, M.T.

1992-01-01

A reservoir's life begins with exploration leading to discovery followed by delineation of the reservoir, development of the field, production by primary, secondary and tertiary means, and finally to abandonment. Sound reservoir management is the key to maximizing economic operation of the reservoir throughout its entire life. Technological advances and rapidly increasing computer power are providing tools to better manage reservoirs and are increasing the gap between good and neutral reservoir management. The modern reservoir management process involves goal setting, planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and revising plans. Setting a reservoir management strategy requires knowledge of the reservoir, availability of technology, and knowledge of the business, political, and environmental climate. Formulating a comprehensive management plan involves depletion and development strategies, data acquisition and analyses, geological and numerical model studies, production and reserves forecasts, facilities requirements, economic optimization, and management approval. This paper provides management, engineers geologists, geophysicists, and field operations staff with a better understanding of the practical approach to reservoir management using a multidisciplinary, integrated team approach

Implications of the sedimentation phenomenon in the design of hydropower reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scvortov, Felix; Armencea, Gheorghe

1992-01-01

The influence of sedimentation phenomena on the operational parameters of the hydropower reservoirs built on several Romanian rivers was assessed. A cascade of eight reservoirs on the Olt river, with initial volumes of 20-50 M m 3 , lost about 30% of the conservation capacity and about 3-7% of head as well. Smaller reservoirs, with volumes of 2-10 M m 3 , lost 60-85% of their capacity. Dredging operations had to be done, thus, increasing the initial costs by 20%. The acquired experience revealed that the evolution in time of the reservoir capacity over the operation period should be as accurately as possible taken into account in the designing stage. The operation conditions and designing criterions for small and medium hydropower reservoir have to be reassessed also from the environmental and efficiency points of view. The content of the paper is the following: 1. Sedimentation knowledge and planning concepts for inland rivers; 2. Implications of the sedimentation phenomenon; 3. Forecast of the sedimentation phenomenon; 4. Retrospective and perspective; 5. Conclusions. (authors)

Reservoir simulation with MUFITS code: Extension for double porosity reservoirs and flows in horizontal wells

Science.gov (United States)

Afanasyev, Andrey

2017-04-01

Numerical modelling of multiphase flows in porous medium is necessary in many applications concerning subsurface utilization. An incomplete list of those applications includes oil and gas fields exploration, underground carbon dioxide storage and geothermal energy production. The numerical simulations are conducted using complicated computer programs called reservoir simulators. A robust simulator should include a wide range of modelling options covering various exploration techniques, rock and fluid properties, and geological settings. In this work we present a recent development of new options in MUFITS code [1]. The first option concerns modelling of multiphase flows in double-porosity double-permeability reservoirs. We describe internal representation of reservoir models in MUFITS, which are constructed as a 3D graph of grid blocks, pipe segments, interfaces, etc. In case of double porosity reservoir, two linked nodes of the graph correspond to a grid cell. We simulate the 6th SPE comparative problem [2] and a five-spot geothermal production problem to validate the option. The second option concerns modelling of flows in porous medium coupled with flows in horizontal wells that are represented in the 3D graph as a sequence of pipe segments linked with pipe junctions. The well completions link the pipe segments with reservoir. The hydraulics in the wellbore, i.e. the frictional pressure drop, is calculated in accordance with Haaland's formula. We validate the option against the 7th SPE comparative problem [3]. We acknowledge financial support by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No RFBR-15-31-20585). References [1] Afanasyev, A. MUFITS Reservoir Simulation Software (www.mufits.imec.msu.ru). [2] Firoozabadi A. et al. Sixth SPE Comparative Solution Project: Dual-Porosity Simulators // J. Petrol. Tech. 1990. V.42. N.6. P.710-715. [3] Nghiem L., et al. Seventh SPE Comparative Solution Project: Modelling of Horizontal Wells in Reservoir Simulation

The Role of Horizontal Wells when Developing Low-Permeable, Heterogeneous Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.P. Yurova

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The widespread use of horizontal drilling in recent years has shown that horizontal wells can be successfully used both at the initial and late stages of development. This is due to the fact that horizontal wells, in contrast to vertical wells, contact a larger area of ​​the productive formation, while the surface of drainage of the oil-saturated layer, productivity of the wells due to the formation of cracks, and also the influence on thin layers increases. One of the methods of impact on the reservoir is the steam-thermal method. The main advantage of the use of the heat wave method in horizontal wells is a significant increase in the well production rate, a decrease in the water cut of the reservoir, a decrease in the oil viscosity, an increase in the injectivity of the injection well, and an increase in the inflow in producing wells. As a result of the total effect, a significant increase in production is obtained throughout the entire deposit. Enhanced oil recovery from the injection of steam is achieved by reducing the viscosity of oil, covering the reservoir with steam, distilling oil and extracting with a solvent. All this increases the displacement coefficient. One of the most effective ways to increase oil recovery at a late stage of field operation is sidetracking in emergency, highly watered and low-productive wells. This leads to the development of residual reserves in weakly drained zones of reservoirs with a substantial increase in well productivity in low-permeable reservoirs. This approach assumes that the initial drilling of wells is a ‘pilot’ stage, which precedes the development of oil reserves in the late stages of deposit development. In the fields of Western Siberia, multiple hydraulic fracturing of the reservoir has been improved due to a special stinger in the liner hanger of multi-packer installation, which excludes the influence of high pressures on the production column under the multiple hydraulic fracturing

49 CFR 229.49 - Main reservoir system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... automatic air brake system shall be adjusted so that the compressor will start when the main reservoir..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD LOCOMOTIVE SAFETY STANDARDS Safety Requirements Brake System § 229.49... least one safety valve that shall prevent an accumulation of pressure of more than 15 pounds per square...

Evaluation of Fatigue Crack Initiation for Volumetric Flaw in Pressure Tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sung Nam; Yoo, Hyun Joo

2005-01-01

CAN/CSA.N285.4-94 requires the periodic inservice inspection and surveillance of pressure tubes in operating CANDU nuclear power reactors. If the inspection results reveal a flaw exceeding the acceptance criteria of the Code, the flaw must be evaluated to determine if the pressure is acceptable for continued service. Currently, the flaw evaluation methodology and acceptance criteria specified in CSA-N285.05-2005, 'Technical requirements for in-service evaluation of zirconium alloy pressure tubes in CANDU reactors'. The Code is applicable to zirconium alloy pressure tubes. The evaluation methodology for a crack-like flaw is similar to that of ASME B and PV Sec. XI, 'Inservice Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components'. However, the evaluation methodology for a blunt volumetric flaw is described in CSA-N285.05-2005 code. The object of this paper is to address the fatigue crack initiation evaluation for the blunt volumetric flaw as it applies to the pressure tube at Wolsong NPP

Improved recovery from Gulf of Mexico reservoirs. Quarterly status report, January 1--March 31, 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimbrell, W.C.; Bassiouni, Z.A.; Bourgoyne, A.T.

1996-04-30

On February 18, 1992, Louisiana State University with two technical subcontractors, BDM, Inc. and ICF, Inc., began a research program to estimate the potential oil and gas reserve additions that could result from the application of advanced secondary and enhanced oil recovery technologies and the exploitation of undeveloped and attic oil zones in the Gulf of Mexico oil fields that are related to piercement salt domes. This project is a one year continuation of this research and will continue work in reservoir description, extraction processes, and technology transfer. Detailed data will be collected for two previously studies reservoirs: a South Marsh Island reservoir operated by Taylor Energy and one additional Gulf of Mexico reservoir operated by Mobil. Additional reservoirs identified during the project will also be studied if possible. Data collected will include reprocessed 2-D seismic data, newly acquired 3-D data, fluid data, fluid samples, pressure data, well test data, well logs, and core data/samples. The new data will be used to refine reservoir and geologic characterization of these reservoirs. Further laboratory investigation will provide additional simulation input data in the form of PVT properties, relative permeabilities, capillary pressure, and water compatibility. Geological investigations will be conducted to refine the models of mud-rich submarine fan architectures used by seismic analysts and reservoir engineers. Research on advanced reservoir simulation will also be conducted. This report describes a review of fine-grained submarine fans and turbidite systems.

analysis of pressure variation of fluid in an infinite acting reservoir

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2017-01-01

Jan 1, 2017 ... radial diffusivity equation for a reservoir acting as if it was infinite in size and ... differential equation there is an infinite number of a possible solution ..... [3] Van Everdingen, A. F. and Hurst, W. The Application of the. Laplace ...

The results interpretation of thermogasdynamic studies of vertical gas wells incomplete in terms of the reservoir penetration degree

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.N. Shamsiev

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A method is proposed for interpreting thermogasdynamic studies of vertical gas wells that are incomplete in terms of the reservoir penetration degree on the basis of inverse tasks theory. The inverse task has the aim to determine the reservoir parameters for nonisothermal filtration of a real gas to a vertical well in an anisotropic reservoir. In this case, the values ​​of the pressure and temperature at the well bottom, recorded by deep instruments, are assumed to be known. The solution of the inverse task is to minimize the functional. The iterative sequence for minimizing the functional is based on the Levenberg-Marquardt method. The convergence and stability of the iterative process for various input information have been studied on specific examples. The effect of reservoir anisotropy on the pressure and temperature changes at the bottom of the well is studied. It is shown that if the reservoir is not completely penetrated by the results of pressure and temperature measurements at the bottom of the well, anisotropy of the reservoir can be estimated after its launch. It should be noted that when studying thermodynamic processes in the vicinity of a well, which penetrates thick layers, it is necessary to take into account not only the heat exchange of the reservoir with the surrounding rocks, but also the geothermal temperature gradient.

Thermochemical sulphate reduction can improve carbonate petroleum reservoir quality

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Lei; Worden, Richard H.; Yang, Changbing

2018-02-01

Interest in the creation of secondary pore spaces in petroleum reservoirs has increased because of a need to understand deeper and more complex reservoirs. The creation of new secondary porosity that enhances overall reservoir quality in deeply buried carbonate reservoirs is controversial and some recent studies have concluded it is not an important phenomenon. Here we present petrography, geochemistry, fluid inclusion data, and fluid-rock interaction reaction modeling results from Triassic Feixianguan Formation, Sichuan Basin, China, core samples and explore the relative importance of secondary porosity due to thermochemical sulphate reduction (TSR) during deep burial diagenesis. We find that new secondary pores result from the dissolution of anhydrite and possibly from dissolution of the matrix dolomite. Assuming porosity before TSR was 16% and the percentage of anhydrite was 6%, modelling shows that, due to TSR, 1.6% additional porosity was created that led to permeability increasing from 110 mD (range 72-168 mD within a 95% confidence interval) to 264 mD (range 162-432 mD within a 95% confidence interval). Secondary porosity results from the density differences between reactant anhydrite and product calcite, the addition of new water during TSR, and the generation of acidity during the reaction of new H2S with the siderite component in pre-existing dolomite in the reservoir. Fluid pressure was high during TSR, and approached lithostatic pressure in some samples; this transient overpressure may have led to the maintenance of porosity due to the inhibition of compactional processes. An additional 1.6% porosity is significant for reserve calculations, especially considering that it occurs in conjunction with elevated permeability that results in faster flow rates to the production wells.

The time-lapse AVO difference inversion for changes in reservoir parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Longxiao, Zhi; Hanming, Gu; Yan, Li

2016-12-01

The result of conventional time-lapse seismic processing is the difference between the amplitude and the post-stack seismic data. Although stack processing can improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of seismic data, it also causes a considerable loss of important information about the amplitude changes and only gives the qualitative interpretation. To predict the changes in reservoir fluid more precisely and accurately, we also need the quantitative information of the reservoir. To achieve this aim, we develop the method of time-lapse AVO (amplitude versus offset) difference inversion. For the inversion of reservoir changes in elastic parameters, we apply the Gardner equation as the constraint and convert the three-parameter inversion of elastic parameter changes into a two-parameter inversion to make the inversion more stable. For the inversion of variations in the reservoir parameters, we infer the relation between the difference of the reflection coefficient and variations in the reservoir parameters, and then invert reservoir parameter changes directly. The results of the theoretical modeling computation and practical application show that our method can estimate the relative variations in reservoir density, P-wave and S-wave velocity, calculate reservoir changes in water saturation and effective pressure accurately, and then provide reference for the rational exploitation of the reservoir.

Investigating the effects of rock porosity and permeability on the performance of nitrogen injection into a southern Iranian oil reservoirs through neural network

Science.gov (United States)

Gheshmi, M. S.; Fatahiyan, S. M.; Khanesary, N. T.; Sia, C. W.; Momeni, M. S.

2018-03-01

In this work, a comprehensive model for Nitrogen injection into an oil reservoir (southern Iranian oil fields) was developed and used to investigate the effects of rock porosity and permeability on the oil production rate and the reservoir pressure decline. The model was simulated and developed by using ECLIPSE300 software, which involved two scenarios as porosity change and permeability changes in the horizontal direction. We found that the maximum pressure loss occurs at a porosity value of 0.07, which later on, goes to pressure buildup due to reservoir saturation with the gas. Also we found that minimum pressure loss is encountered at porosity 0.46. Increases in both pressure and permeability in the horizontal direction result in corresponding increase in the production rate, and the pressure drop speeds up at the beginning of production as it increases. However, afterwards, this pressure drop results in an increase in pressure because of reservoir saturation. Besides, we determined the regression values, R, for the correlation between pressure and total production, as well as for the correlation between permeability and the total production, using neural network discipline.

Characterization of floodflows along the Arkansas River without regulation by Pueblo Reservoir, Portland to John Martin Reservoir, Southeastern Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Little, John R.; Bauer, Daniel P.

1981-01-01

The need for a method for estimating flow characteristics of flood hydrographs between Portland, Colo., and John Martin Reservoir has been promoted with the construction of the Pueble Reservoir. To meet this need a procedure was developed for predicting floodflow peaks, traveltimes, and volumes at any point along the Arkansas River between Portland and John Martin Reservoir without considering the existing Pueble Reservoir detention effects. A streamflow-routing model was calibrated initially and then typical flood simulations were made for the 164.8-mile study reach. Simulations were completed for varying magnitudes of floods and antecedent streamflow conditions. Multiple regression techniques were then used with simulation results as input to provide predictive relationships for food peak, volume, and traveltime. Management practices that may be used to benefit water users in the area include providing methods for the distribution and allotment of the flood waters upstream of Portland to different downstream water users according to Colorado water law and also under the Arkansas River Compact. (USGS)

Pulmonary artery wave propagation and reservoir function in conscious man: impact of pulmonary vascular disease, respiration and dynamic stress tests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Su, Junjing; Manisty, Charlotte; Simonsen, Ulf

2017-01-01

Detailed haemodynamic analysis may provide novel insights into the pulmonary circulation. Therefore, wave intensity and reservoir-excess pressure analyses were applied in the pulmonary artery to characterize changes in wave propagation and reservoir function during spontaneous respiration......, recordings were also obtained during Valsalva manoeuvre and handgrip exercise. The asymptotic pressure at which the flow through the microcirculation ceases, the reservoir pressure related to arterial compliance and the excess pressure caused by arterial waves increased in PAH patients compared to controls....... The systolic and diastolic rate constants also increased, while the diastolic time constant decreased. The forward compression wave energy decreased by ∼8% in controls and ∼6% in PAH patients during expiration compared to inspiration, while the wave speed remained unchanged throughout the respiratory cycle...

Diagenesis and reservoir quality of Bhuban sandstones (Neogene), Titas Gas Field, Bengal Basin, Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Aminul Islam, M.

2009-06-01

This study deals with the diagenesis and reservoir quality of sandstones of the Bhuban Formation located at the Titas Gas Field of Bengal Basin. Petrographic study including XRD, CL, SEM and BSE image analysis and quantitative determination of reservoir properties were carried out for this study. The sandstones are fine to medium-grained, moderately well to well sorted subfeldspathic arenites with subordinate feldspathic and lithic arenites. The diagenetic processes include clay infiltration, compaction and cementation (quartz overgrowth, chlorite, kaolinite, calcite and minor amount of pyrite, dolomite and K-feldspar overgrowth). Quartz is the dominant pore occluding cement and generally occurred as small euhedral crystals, locally as large pyramidal crystals in the primary pores. Pressure solution derived from grain contact is the main contributor of quartz overgrowths. Chlorite occurs as pore-lining and pore filling cement. In some cases, chlorite helps to retain porosity by preventing quartz overgrowth. In some restricted depth interval, pore-occlusion by calcite cement is very much intense. Kaolinite locally developed as vermiform and accelerated the minor porosity loss due to pore-occlusion. Kaolinite/chlorite enhances ineffective microporosity. Kaolinite is a by-product of feldspar leaching in the presence of acidic fluid produced during the maturation of organic matter in the adjacent Miocene or deeper Oligocene source rocks. The relation between diagenesis and reservoir quality is as follows: the initial porosity was decreased by compaction and cementation and then increased by leaching of the metastable grains and dissolution of cement. Good quality reservoir rocks were deposited in fluvial environment and hence quality of reservoir rocks is also environment selective. Porosity and permeability data exhibit good inverse correlation with cement. However, some data points indicate multiple controls on permeability. Reservoir quality is thus controlled by

EXPLOITATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF RESERVOIR PERFORMANCE IN HUNTON FORMATION, OKLAHOMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohan Kelkar

2004-10-01

West Carney field--one of the newest fields discovered in Oklahoma--exhibits many unique production characteristics. These characteristics include: (1) decreasing water-oil ratio; (2) decreasing gas-oil ratio followed by an increase; (3) poor prediction capability of the reserves based on the log data; and (4) low geological connectivity but high hydrodynamic connectivity. The purpose of this investigation is to understand the principal mechanisms affecting the production, and propose methods by which we can extend the phenomenon to other fields with similar characteristics. In our experimental investigation section, we present the data on surfactant injection in near well bore region. We demonstrate that by injecting the surfactant, the relative permeability of water could be decreased, and that of gas could be increased. This should result in improved gas recovery from the reservoir. Our geological analysis of the reservoir develops the detailed stratigraphic description of the reservoir. Two new stratigraphic units, previously unrecognized, are identified. Additional lithofacies are recognized in new core descriptions. Our engineering analysis has determined that well density is an important parameter in optimally producing Hunton reservoirs. It appears that 160 acre is an optimal spacing. The reservoir pressure appears to decline over time; however, recovery per well is only weakly influenced by the pressure. This indicates that additional opportunity to drill wells exists in relatively depleted fields. A simple material balance technique is developed to validate the recovery of gas, oil and water. This technique can be used to further extrapolate recoveries from other fields with similar field characteristics.

Modelling of Salt Solubilities for Smart Water flooding in Carbonate Reservoirs using Extended UNIQUAC Model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chakravarty, Krishna Hara

recovery can increase that capture up to 25-30% of original oil in place (OOIP). But cost effective Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques if implemented correctly canbe used to produce another 10-15% of the initially available hydrocarbons. Advanced water flooding (i.e. altering injection brine...... compositions by varying concentration of selected ions) is an enhanced oil recovery method which in alow cost, non-toxic manner increases oil recovery from various carbonate reservoirs. Dan and Halfdan are chalk reservoirs from the Danish North Sea, which are matured oil fields that have been flooded......For most oil reservoirs which were drilled with conventional methods, the expected initial recovery of available hydrocarbons maybe as low as 15% – thusleaving 85+% of hydrocarbons in the reservoir. Implementation of mechanical methods including pump jacks and initial gas injection or thermal...

A history match of the 1993 ESAGD pilot performance in the Peace River reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, M.; Whale, L. [Shell Canada Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2006-07-01

This paper described a history matching procedure conducted to examine the performance of an enhanced steam assisted gravity drainage (ESAGD) pilot project originally initiated in 1993. The ESAGD process began as a conventional SAGD process, but when the steam chambers were fully developed, a pressure differential between the chambers was added to increase the steam drive component. A numerical planning simulation predicted cumulative average bitumen production rates of between 80 m{sup 3} per day per well pair. However, the actual average day bitumen rate was 22.5 m{sup 3} per day. The oil to steam ratio was 0.1. Final estimated recovery efficiency rates were estimated at 10 per cent. The simulated history match deviated in its predictions after the application of the pressure differential between the 2 well pairs during the ESAGD process. Results from a series of sensitivity studies demonstrated that well performance relied on the presence of high water saturation zones and on the petrophysical properties assigned within the model for horizontal and vertical permeability. The history match demonstrated that the majority of the bitumen produced during the pilot scheme came from the highly permeable bottom zone of the reservoir. It was concluded that steam zones did not rise far above the basal zone, and was limited by the vertical permeability of the reservoir. 6 refs., 2 tabs., 13 figs.

A review on hydraulic fracturing of unconventional reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quanshu Li

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Hydraulic fracturing is widely accepted and applied to improve the gas recovery in unconventional reservoirs. Unconventional reservoirs to be addressed here are with very low permeability, complicated geological settings and in-situ stress field etc. All of these make the hydraulic fracturing process a challenging task. In order to effectively and economically recover gas from such reservoirs, the initiation and propagation of hydraulic fracturing in the heterogeneous fractured/porous media under such complicated conditions should be mastered. In this paper, some issues related to hydraulic fracturing have been reviewed, including the experimental study, field study and numerical simulation. Finally the existing problems that need to be solved on the subject of hydraulic fracturing have been proposed.

Computerized X-ray Microtomography Observations and Fluid Flow Measurements of the Effect of Effective Stress on Fractured Reservoir Seal Shale

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, N.; Crawshaw, J.; Boek, E.

2014-12-01

The successful storage of carbon dioxide in geologic formations requires an in-depth understanding of all reservoir characteristics and morphologies. An intact and substantial seal formation above a storage reservoir is required for a significant portion of the initial sealing mechanisms believed to occur during carbon dioxide storage operations. Shales are a common seal formation rock types found above numerous hydrocarbon reservoirs, as well as potential saline aquifer storage locations. Shales commonly have very low permeability, however they also have the tendency to be quite fissile, and the formation of fractures within these seals can have a significant detrimental effect on the sealing potential of a reservoir and amount to large areas of high permeability and low capillary pressures compared to the surrounding intact rock. Fractured shales also have an increased current interest due to the increasing development of shale gas reservoirs using hydraulic fracturing techniques. This work shows the observed changes that occur within fractured pieces of reservoir seal shale samples, along with quarry analogues, using an in-situ micro-CT fluid flow imaging apparatus with a Hassler type core holder. Changes within the preferential flow path under different stress regimes as well as physical changes to the fracture geometry are reported. Lattice Boltzmann flow simulations were then performed on the extracted flow paths and compared to experiment permeability measurements. The preferential flow path of carbon dioxide through the fracture network is also observed and compared to the results two-phase Lattice Boltzmann fluid flow simulations.

Thirteen years of exploitation with constant oilfield pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dontov-Danu, Gh

1966-12-01

The paper describes a restoring and maintaining reservoir pressure by gas injection in two blocks of the Dacian stratum at Buscani. At the beginning of gas injection, the wells produced in gas lift and the crude oil flows were markedly decreasing. After about 6 months of injection the reservoir pressure has been restored, the wells flowed. This system allows constant crude oil flows for long periods. The oilfield recovery factor until December 31, 1965, is 51% i.e. by 150% higher than expected in the case of an exploitation without gas injection. This increase represents the extra crude oil and gasoline production obtained as a result of the application of the reservoir pressure maintenance process. The average consumption of working agent has been of 382 cu m gas per ton of additionally extracted crude oil.

Simulation of complex fracture networks influenced by natural fractures in shale gas reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhao Jinzhou

2014-10-01

Full Text Available When hydraulic fractures intersect with natural fractures, the geometry and complexity of a fracture network are determined by the initiation and propagation pattern which is affected by a number of factors. Based on the fracture mechanics, the criterion for initiation and propagation of a fracture was introduced to analyze the tendency of a propagating angle and factors affecting propagating pressure. On this basis, a mathematic model with a complex fracture network was established to investigate how the fracture network form changes with different parameters, including rock mechanics, in-situ stress distribution, fracture properties, and frac treatment parameters. The solving process of this model was accelerated by classifying the calculation nodes on the extending direction of the fracture by equal pressure gradients, and solving the geometrical parameters prior to the iteration fitting flow distribution. With the initiation and propagation criterion as the bases for the propagation of branch fractures, this method decreased the iteration times through eliminating the fitting of the fracture length in conventional 3D fracture simulation. The simulation results indicated that the formation with abundant natural fractures and smaller in-situ stress difference is sufficient conditions for fracture network development. If the pressure in the hydraulic fractures can be kept at a high level by temporary sealing or diversion, the branch fractures will propagate further with minor curvature radius, thus enlarging the reservoir stimulation area. The simulated shape of fracture network can be well matched with the field microseismic mapping in data point range and distribution density, validating the accuracy of this model.

Underground storage at Saint-Illiers-la-Ville. Initial results of filling. Reservoir control problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vernet, D

1968-01-01

The underground storage at Saint-Illiers-la-Ville (Yvelines in the Paris area) was discussed by Toche at the time when it was filled with gas in 1965. Now, 2-1/2 yr after the initial input, the volume of storage has reached 500 million cu m, and the first industrial withdrawals took place during the winter of 1967-1968. The results obtained in the operation of this underground storage are extremely satisfactory. In spite of differences in the composition of the sand layer, the gas bubble developed in a very regular way, horizontally and vertically, and the full penetration well equipment made a high output rate easy to obtain. Reservoir control was handled efficiently and the movements of the bubble contour were shown for every fluctuation of the injection and withdrawal volumes. Tests for production capacity showed the low extent to which the wells were affected by the phenomenon of water- coning and indicated measures to be taken to prevent the formation of hydrates. The measures effected and the conclusions which can be derived are discussed.

Carbon dioxide dynamics in a lake and a reservoir on a tropical island (Bali, Indonesia).

Science.gov (United States)

Macklin, Paul A; Suryaputra, I Gusti Ngurah Agung; Maher, Damien T; Santos, Isaac R

2018-01-01

Water-to-air carbon dioxide fluxes from tropical lakes and reservoirs (artificial lakes) may be an important but understudied component of global carbon fluxes. Here, we investigate the seasonal dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) dynamics in a lake and a reservoir on a tropical volcanic island (Bali, Indonesia). Observations were performed over four seasonal surveys in Bali's largest natural lake (Lake Batur) and largest reservoir (Palasari Reservoir). Average CO2 partial pressures in the natural lake and reservoir were 263.7±12.2 μatm and 785.0±283.6 μatm respectively, with the highest area-weighted partial pressures in the wet season for both systems. The strong correlations between seasonal mean values of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pCO2 in the natural lake (r2 = 0.92) suggest that surface water metabolism was an important driver of CO2 dynamics in this deep system. Radon (222Rn, a natural groundwater discharge tracer) explained up to 77% of the variability in pCO2 in the shallow reservoir, suggesting that groundwater seepage was the major CO2 driver in the reservoir. Overall, the natural lake was a sink of atmospheric CO2 (average fluxes of -2.8 mmol m-2 d-1) while the reservoir was a source of CO2 to the atmosphere (average fluxes of 7.3 mmol m-2 d-1). Reservoirs are replacing river valleys and terrestrial ecosystems, particularly throughout developing tropical regions. While the net effect of this conversion on atmospheric CO2 fluxes remains to be resolved, we speculate that reservoir construction will partially offset the CO2 sink provided by deep, volcanic, natural lakes and terrestrial environments.

A method to implement the reservoir-wave hypothesis using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging

OpenAIRE

Gray, Robert D.M.; Parker, Kim H.; Quail, Michael A.; Taylor, Andrew M.; Biglino, Giovanni

2016-01-01

The reservoir-wave hypothesis states that the blood pressure waveform can be usefully divided into a “reservoir pressure” related to the global compliance and resistance of the arterial system, and an “excess pressure” that depends on local conditions. The formulation of the reservoir-wave hypothesis applied to the area waveform is shown, and the analysis is applied to area and velocity data from high-resolution phase-contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. A validation stud...

Investigating Multiphase Flow Phenomena in Fine-Grained Reservoir Rocks: Insights from Using Ethane Permeability Measurements over a Range of Pore Pressures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Aidan Letham

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The ability to quantify effective permeability at the various fluid saturations and stress states experienced during production from shale oil and shale gas reservoirs is required for efficient exploitation of the resources, but to date experimental challenges prevent measurement of the effective permeability of these materials over a range of fluid saturations. To work towards overcoming these challenges, we measured effective permeability of a suite of gas shales to gaseous ethane over a range of pore pressures up to the saturated vapour pressure. Liquid/semiliquid ethane saturation increases due to adsorption and capillary condensation with increasing pore pressure resulting in decreasing effective permeability to ethane gas. By how much effective permeability to ethane gas decreases with adsorption and capillary condensation depends on the pore size distribution of each sample and the stress state that effective permeability is measured at. Effective permeability decreases more at higher stress states because the pores are smaller at higher stress states. The largest effective permeability drops occur in samples with dominant pore sizes in the mesopore range. These pores are completely blocked due to capillary condensation at pore pressures near the saturated vapour pressure of ethane. Blockage of these pores cuts off the main fluid flow pathways in the rock, thereby drastically decreasing effective permeability to ethane gas.

CO{sub 2} Huff-n-Puff process in a light oil shallow shelf carbonate reservoir. 1994 Annual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wehner, S.C.

1995-05-01

It is anticipated that this project will show that the application of the CO{sub 2} Huff-n-Puff process in shallow shelf carbonates can be economically implemented to recover appreciable volumes of light oil. The goals of the project are the development of guidelines for cost-effective selection of candidate reservoirs and wells, along with estimating recovery potential. The selected site for the demonstration project is the Central Vacuum Unit waterflood in Lea County, New Mexico. Work is nearing completion on the reservoir characterization components of the project. The near-term emphasis is to, (1) provide an accurate distribution of original oil-in-place on a waterflood pattern entity level, (2) evaluate past recovery efficiencies, (3) perform parametric simulations, and (4) forecast performance for a site specific field demonstration of the proposed technology. Macro zonation now exists throughout the study area and cross-sections are available. The Oil-Water Contact has been defined. Laboratory capillary pressure data was used to define the initial water saturations within the pay horizon. The reservoir`s porosity distribution has been enhanced with the assistance of geostatistical software. Three-Dimensional kriging created the spatial distributions of porosity at interwell locations. Artificial intelligence software was utilized to relate core permeability to core porosity, which in turn was applied to the 3-D geostatistical porosity gridding. An Equation-of-State has been developed and refined for upcoming compositional simulation exercises. Options for local grid-refinement in the model are under consideration. These tasks will be completed by mid-1995, prior to initiating the field demonstrations in the second budget period.

Quantification of Hungry Horse Reservoir Water Levels Needed to Maintain or Enhance Reservoir Fisheries; Methods and Data, 1983-1987 Summary Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

May, Bruce; Michael, Gary; Wachsmuth, John (Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Kalispell, MT)

1988-06-01

The Hungry Horse Reservoir study is part of the Northwest Power Planning Council's resident fish and wildlife plan. The plan is responsible for mitigating damages to the fish and wildlife resources caused by hydroelectric development in the Columbia River Basin. The major goal of our study is to quantify seasonal water levels needed to maintain or enhance the reservoir fishery. This study began in May, 1983, and the initial phase will be completed July, 1988. This report summarizes limnological, fish abundance, fish distribution and fish food habits data collected from 1983 to 1988. The effect of reservoir operation upon fish habitat, fish food organisms and fish growth is discussed. 71 refs., 36 figs., 46 tabs.

A risk-informed approach to the assessment of DHC initiation in pressure tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahoo, A.K.; Pandey, M.D.

2009-01-01

The delayed hydride cracking (DHC) of pressure tubes is a serious form of degradation in the reactor core. Flaws in pressure tubes generated by fretting or any other mechanism are potential stress raisers that could become sites of DHC initiation under right circumstances. CSA standard N285.8 recommends deterministic and probabilistic procedures for the assessment of potential for DHC initiation from planar flaws. The deterministic method is simple, but it lacks a risk-informed basis for the assessment. A full probabilistic method based on simulations is tedious to implement. This paper presents an innovative, semi-probabilistic method that bridges the gap between a simple deterministic analysis and complex simulations. In the proposed method, the deterministic assessment criterion of CSA N285.8 standard is calibrated to specified target probabilities of DHC initiation using the concept of partial factors. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that it provides a practical, risk-informed basis for DHC initiation assessment while retaining the simplicity of the deterministic method. (author)

Numerical Simulation of Natural Gas Flow in Anisotropic Shale Reservoirs

KAUST Repository

Negara, Ardiansyah

2015-11-09

Shale gas resources have received great attention in the last decade due to the decline of the conventional gas resources. Unlike conventional gas reservoirs, the gas flow in shale formations involves complex processes with many mechanisms such as Knudsen diffusion, slip flow (Klinkenberg effect), gas adsorption and desorption, strong rock-fluid interaction, etc. Shale formations are characterized by the tiny porosity and extremely low-permeability such that the Darcy equation may no longer be valid. Therefore, the Darcy equation needs to be revised through the permeability factor by introducing the apparent permeability. With respect to the rock formations, several studies have shown the existence of anisotropy in shale reservoirs, which is an essential feature that has been established as a consequence of the different geological processes over long period of time. Anisotropy of hydraulic properties of subsurface rock formations plays a significant role in dictating the direction of fluid flow. The direction of fluid flow is not only dependent on the direction of pressure gradient, but it also depends on the principal directions of anisotropy. Therefore, it is very important to take into consideration anisotropy when modeling gas flow in shale reservoirs. In this work, the gas flow mechanisms as mentioned earlier together with anisotropy are incorporated into the dual-porosity dual-permeability model through the full-tensor apparent permeability. We employ the multipoint flux approximation (MPFA) method to handle the full-tensor apparent permeability. We combine MPFA method with the experimenting pressure field approach, i.e., a newly developed technique that enables us to solve the global problem by breaking it into a multitude of local problems. This approach generates a set of predefined pressure fields in the solution domain in such a way that the undetermined coefficients are calculated from these pressure fields. In other words, the matrix of coefficients

Numerical Simulation of Natural Gas Flow in Anisotropic Shale Reservoirs

KAUST Repository

Negara, Ardiansyah; Salama, Amgad; Sun, Shuyu; Elgassier, Mokhtar; Wu, Yu-Shu

2015-01-01

Shale gas resources have received great attention in the last decade due to the decline of the conventional gas resources. Unlike conventional gas reservoirs, the gas flow in shale formations involves complex processes with many mechanisms such as Knudsen diffusion, slip flow (Klinkenberg effect), gas adsorption and desorption, strong rock-fluid interaction, etc. Shale formations are characterized by the tiny porosity and extremely low-permeability such that the Darcy equation may no longer be valid. Therefore, the Darcy equation needs to be revised through the permeability factor by introducing the apparent permeability. With respect to the rock formations, several studies have shown the existence of anisotropy in shale reservoirs, which is an essential feature that has been established as a consequence of the different geological processes over long period of time. Anisotropy of hydraulic properties of subsurface rock formations plays a significant role in dictating the direction of fluid flow. The direction of fluid flow is not only dependent on the direction of pressure gradient, but it also depends on the principal directions of anisotropy. Therefore, it is very important to take into consideration anisotropy when modeling gas flow in shale reservoirs. In this work, the gas flow mechanisms as mentioned earlier together with anisotropy are incorporated into the dual-porosity dual-permeability model through the full-tensor apparent permeability. We employ the multipoint flux approximation (MPFA) method to handle the full-tensor apparent permeability. We combine MPFA method with the experimenting pressure field approach, i.e., a newly developed technique that enables us to solve the global problem by breaking it into a multitude of local problems. This approach generates a set of predefined pressure fields in the solution domain in such a way that the undetermined coefficients are calculated from these pressure fields. In other words, the matrix of coefficients

Heavy oil reservoir evaluation : performing an injection test using DST tools in the marine region of Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loaiza, J.; Ruiz, P. [Halliburton, Mexico City (Mexico); Barrera, D.; Gutierrez, F. [Pemex, Mexico City (Mexico)

2010-07-01

This paper described an injection test conducted to evaluate heavy oil reserves in an offshore area of Mexico. The drill-stem testing (DST) evaluation used a fluid injection technique in order to eliminate the need for artificial lift and coiled tubing. A pressure transient analysis method was used to determine the static pressure of the reservoir, effective hydrocarbon permeability, and formation damage. Boundary effects were also characterized. The total volume of the fluid injection was determined by analyzing various reservoir parameters. The timing of the shut-in procedure was determined by characterizing rock characteristics and fluids within the reservoir. The mobility and diffusivity relationships between the zones with the injection fluids and reservoir fluids were used to defined sweep fluids. A productivity analysis was used to predict various production scenarios. DST tools were then used to conduct a pressure-production assessment. Case histories were used to demonstrate the method. The studies showed that the method provides a cost-effective means of providing high quality data for productivity analyses. 4 refs., 2 tabs., 15 figs.

Joint reconstruction of the initial pressure and speed of sound distributions from combined photoacoustic and ultrasound tomography measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Thomas P.; Anastasio, Mark A.

2017-12-01

The initial pressure and speed of sound (SOS) distributions cannot both be stably recovered from photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) measurements alone. Adjunct ultrasound computed tomography (USCT) measurements can be employed to estimate the SOS distribution. Under the conventional image reconstruction approach for combined PACT/USCT systems, the SOS is estimated from the USCT measurements alone and the initial pressure is estimated from the PACT measurements by use of the previously estimated SOS. This approach ignores the acoustic information in the PACT measurements and may require many USCT measurements to accurately reconstruct the SOS. In this work, a joint reconstruction method where the SOS and initial pressure distributions are simultaneously estimated from combined PACT/USCT measurements is proposed. This approach allows accurate estimation of both the initial pressure distribution and the SOS distribution while requiring few USCT measurements.

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery - Advanced Reservoir Simulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Sidsel Marie

the water phase. The biofilm formation implies that the concentration of bacteria near the inlet increases. In combination with surfactant production, the biofilm results in a higher surfactant concentration in the initial part of the reservoir. The oil that is initially bypassed in connection...... simulator. In the streamline simulator, the effect of gravity is introduced using an operator splitting technique. The gravity effect stabilizes oil displacement causing markedly improvement of the oil recovery, when the oil density becomes relatively low. The general characteristics found for MEOR in one......-dimensional simulations are also demonstrated both in two and three dimensions. Overall, this MEOR process conducted in a heterogeneous reservoir also produces more oil compared to waterflooding, when the simulations are run in multiple dimensions. The work presented in this thesis has resulted in two publications so far....

Limnological characteristics and trophic state of a newly created site: the Pareja Limno-reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Molina-Navarro, E.; Martínez-Pérez, S.; Sastre-Merlín, A.

2012-04-01

The creation of dams in the riverine zone of large reservoirs is an innovative action whose primary goal is to generate water bodies that ensure a stable level of water there. We have termed these bodies of water "limno-reservoirs" because their water level becomes constant and independent of the fluctuations occurring in the main reservoir. In addition, limno-reservoirs represent environmental initiatives with corrective and/or compensatory effects. Pareja Limno-reservoir, located near the left side of Entrepeñas Reservoir (Guadalajara province, central Spain), is one of the first initiatives of this type in Spain. We are investigating the hydrology, limnology, microbiology, siltation risk and other aspects of this site. This research has a special interest since the building of limno-reservoirs is rising in Spain. To acquire knowledge about their behavior may be helpful for further constructions. In fact, every new reservoir building project usually includes a limno-reservoir. Moreover, there are many initiatives related with the construction of this kind of hydraulic infrastructures in the reservoirs under exploitation. This work focuses on the limnological study of the Pareja Limno-reservoir. To conduct this research, twelve seasonal sample collections at two sampling points (the dam and inflow zones) have been made in Pareja Limno-reservoir, from spring 2008 to winter 2011. The primary goal of this study is to describe the limnological characteristics of the limno-reservoir. Special interest is placed in the study of the trophic state through different indicators (nutrients, transparency, phytoplankton and zooplankton populations), as the European Water Framework Directive objective is to achieve a "good ecological status" in every aquatic ecosystem by 2015. The results of the study show that the Pareja Limno-reservoir follows a warm monomictic water stratification pattern. Water was slightly alkaline and conductivity values were mostly over 1000 μS cm-1 due

Classicalization times of parametrically amplified 'Schroedinger cat' states coupled to phase-sensitive reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dodonov, V.V.; Valverde, C.; Souza, L.S.; Baseia, B.

2011-01-01

The exact Wigner function of a parametrically excited quantum oscillator in a phase-sensitive amplifying/attenuating reservoir is found for initial even/odd coherent states. Studying the evolution of negativity of the Wigner function we show the difference between the 'initial positivization time' (IPT), which is inversely proportional to the square of the initial size of the superposition, and the 'final positivization time' (FPT), which does not depend on this size. Both these times can be made arbitrarily long in maximally squeezed high-temperature reservoirs. Besides, we find the conditions when some (small) squeezing can exist even after the Wigner function becomes totally positive. -- Highlights: → We study parametric excitation of a quantum oscillator in phase-sensitive baths. → Exact time-dependent Wigner function for initial even/odd coherent states is found. → The evolution of negativity of Wigner function is compared with the squeezing dynamics. → The difference between initial and final 'classicalization times' is emphasized. → Both these times can be arbitrarily long for rigged reservoirs at infinite temperature.

Information collection and processing of dam distortion in digital reservoir system

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Yong; Zhang, Chengming; Li, Yanling; Wu, Qiulan; Ge, Pingju

2007-06-01

The "digital reservoir" is usually understood as describing the whole reservoir with digital information technology to make it serve the human existence and development furthest. Strictly speaking, the "digital reservoir" is referred to describing vast information of the reservoir in different dimension and space-time by RS, GPS, GIS, telemetry, remote-control and virtual reality technology based on computer, multi-media, large-scale memory and wide-band networks technology for the human existence, development and daily work, life and entertainment. The core of "digital reservoir" is to realize the intelligence and visibility of vast information of the reservoir through computers and networks. The dam is main building of reservoir, whose safety concerns reservoir and people's safety. Safety monitoring is important way guaranteeing the dam's safety, which controls the dam's running through collecting the dam's information concerned and developing trend. Safety monitoring of the dam is the process from collection and processing of initial safety information to forming safety concept in the brain. The paper mainly researches information collection and processing of the dam by digital means.

Fiscal 1999 research and verification of geothermal energy exploring technologies and the like. Development of reservoir mass and heat flow characterization (Development of fracture hydrological properties characterization technology - Summary); 1999 nendo chinetsu tansa gijutsu nado kensho chosa hokokusho (yoyaku). Choryuso hendo tansaho kaihatsu (danretsu suiri tansaho kaihatsu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

Efforts are under way to develop reservoir change evaluation technologies to be effective in evaluating reservoirs at their initial stage of development, in stabilizing the output of power stations after their commencement of service operation, and in probing into reservoirs in already-developed areas. One of them concerns the characterization of the hydrological properties of fractures. The development efforts involve (1) a pressure transient test method (measurement of the response of reservoirs to changes in borehole internal pressure), (2) a tiltmeter observation method (ground surface deformation measurement), and (3) a 2-phase flow metering method (metering of spurting fluids). Under item (1), a computer-aided borehole hydrology test system is built and field-tested to isolate problems. Also, a pressure transient test system is built by way of trial by use of which compressor-aided control is performed over air pressure in the borehole. Under item (2), it is made clear that changes, several MPa in scale, in the pressure in a borehole is detected by simulation and that a sufficiently capable system is realized using a tiltmeter available on the market. Under item (3), a device is fabricated which is a combination of a laser flowmeter and a void fraction meter, and a field test is conducted to assess its feasibility and to identify problems. (NEDO)

Comparison of an impec and a semi-implicit formulation for compositional reservoir simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. R. B. Fernandes

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In compositional reservoir simulation, a set of non-linear partial differential equations must be solved. In this work, two numerical formulations are compared. The first formulation is based on an implicit pressure and explicit composition (IMPEC procedure, and the second formulation uses an implicit pressure and implicit saturation (IMPSAT. The main goal of this work is to compare the formulations in terms of computational times for solving 2D and 3D compositional reservoir simulation case studies. In the comparison, both UDS (Upwind difference scheme and third order TVD schemes were used. The computational results for the aforementioned formulations and the two interpolation functions are presented for several case studies involving homogeneous and heterogeneous reservoirs. Based on our comparison of IMPEC and IMPSAT formulations using several case studies presented in this work, the IMPSAT formulation was faster than the IMPEC formulation.

Constructive Activation of Reservoir-Resident Microbes for Enhanced Oil Recovery

Science.gov (United States)

DeBruyn, R. P.

2017-12-01

Microbial communities living in subsurface oil reservoirs biodegrade oil, producing methane. If this process could create methane within the waterflooded pore spaces of an oilfield, the methane would be expected to remain and occupy pore space, decreasing water relative permeability, diverting water flow, and increasing oil recovery by expanding the swept zone of the waterflood. This approach was tested in an oilfield in northern Montana. Preliminary assessments were made of geochemical conditions and microbiological habitations. Then, a formulation of microbial activators, with composition tailored for the reservoir's conditions, was metered at low rates into the existing injection water system for one year. In the field, the responses observed included improved oil production performance; a slight increase in injection pressure; and increased time needed for tracers to move between injection and producing wells. We interpret these results to confirm that successful stimulation of the microbial community caused more methane to be created within the swept zone of the waterflooded reservoir. When the methane exsolved as water flowed between high-pressure injection and low-pressure production wells, the bubbles occupied pore space, reducing water saturation and relative permeability, and re-directing some water flow to "slower" unswept rock with lower permeability and higher oil saturation. In total, the waterflood's swept zone had been expanded to include previously-unflooded rock. This technology was applied in this field after screening based on careful anaerobic sampling, advanced microbiological analysis, and the ongoing success of its waterflood. No reservoir or geological or geophysical simulation models were employed, and physical modifications to field facilities were minor. This technology of utilizing existing microbial populations for enhanced oil recovery can therefore be considered for deployment into waterfloods where small scale, advanced maturity, or

Reservoir Models for Gas Hydrate Numerical Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Boswell, R.

2016-12-01

Scientific and industrial drilling programs have now providing detailed information on gas hydrate systems that will increasingly be the subject of field experiments. The need to carefully plan these programs requires reliable prediction of reservoir response to hydrate dissociation. Currently, a major emphasis in gas hydrate modeling is the integration of thermodynamic/hydrologic phenomena with geomechanical response for both reservoir and bounding strata. However, also critical to the ultimate success of these efforts is the appropriate development of input geologic models, including several emerging issues, including (1) reservoir heterogeneity, (2) understanding of the initial petrophysical characteristics of the system (reservoirs and seals), the dynamic evolution of those characteristics during active dissociation, and the interdependency of petrophysical parameters and (3) the nature of reservoir boundaries. Heterogeneity is ubiquitous aspect of every natural reservoir, and appropriate characterization is vital. However, heterogeneity is not random. Vertical variation can be evaluated with core and well log data; however, core data often are challenged by incomplete recovery. Well logs also provide interpretation challenges, particularly where reservoirs are thinly-bedded due to limitation in vertical resolution. This imprecision will extend to any petrophysical measurements that are derived from evaluation of log data. Extrapolation of log data laterally is also complex, and should be supported by geologic mapping. Key petrophysical parameters include porosity, permeability and it many aspects, and water saturation. Field data collected to date suggest that the degree of hydrate saturation is strongly controlled by/dependant upon reservoir quality and that the ratio of free to bound water in the remaining pore space is likely also controlled by reservoir quality. Further, those parameters will also evolve during dissociation, and not necessary in a simple

Pressure and pressure derivative analysis for vertical gas and oil wells in stress sensitive homogeneous and naturally fractured formations without type-curve matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar, Freddy Humberto; Cantillo, Jose Humberto; Montealegre M, Matilde

2007-01-01

Currently, rock mechanics plays an important role in the oil industry. Effects of reservoir subsidence, compaction and dilation are being taken into account in modern reservoir management of complex systems. On the other hand, pressure well tests run in stress sensitive formations ought to be interpreted with non conventional techniques. During the last three decades, several studies relating transient pressure analysis for characterization of stress sensitive reservoirs have been introduced in the literature. Some of them deal with type curves and/or automated history matching. However, due to the nature of the problem, it does not exist a definitive study focused on the adequate characterization of reservoirs which permeability changes as fluid withdrawal advances; in this paper, the permeability modulus concept introduced by Pedroso (1986) is token as the starting basis. A great number of type curves were generated to study the behavior of the above mentioned formations under stress influence. It was found that permeability modulus, therefore permeability changes, can be correlated with the slope of the pressure derivative trend during the radial flow regime when the reservoir suffers compaction. It is also worth to mention that the time of which the minimum characteristic point of a naturally fractured formation (or the inflection point of o semi-log plot) found on the pressure derivative plot is practically the same for formations without stress influence. This contributes to the extension of the TDS technique, Tiab (1993), so a new methodology to characterize this kind of reservoirs is proposed here. This was verified by the solution of synthetic problems

Optimisation of Oil Production in Two – Phase Flow Reservoir Using Simultaneous Method and Interior Point Optimiser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lerch, Dariusz Michal; Völcker, Carsten; Capolei, Andrea

2012-01-01

in the reservoir. A promising decrease of these remained resources can be provided by smart wells applying water injections to sustain satisfactory pressure level in the reservoir throughout the whole process of oil production. Basically to enhance secondary recovery of the remaining oil after drilling, water...... is injected at the injection wells of the down-hole pipes. This sustains the pressure in the reservoir and drives oil towards production wells. There are however, many factors contributing to the poor conventional secondary recovery methods e.g. strong surface tension, heterogeneity of the porous rock...... fields, or closed loop optimisation, can be used for optimising the reservoir performance in terms of net present value of oil recovery or another economic objective. In order to solve an optimal control problem we use a direct collocation method where we translate a continuous problem into a discrete...

Rate transient analysis for homogeneous and heterogeneous gas reservoirs using the TDS technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar, Freddy Humberto; Sanchez, Jairo Andres; Cantillo, Jose Humberto

2008-01-01

In this study pressure test analysis in wells flowing under constant wellbore flowing pressure for homogeneous and naturally fractured gas reservoir using the TDS technique is introduced. Although, constant rate production is assumed in the development of the conventional well test analysis methods, constant pressure production conditions are sometimes used in the oil and gas industry. The constant pressure technique or rate transient analysis is more popular reckoned as decline curve analysis under which rate is allows to decline instead of wellbore pressure. The TDS technique, everyday more used even in the most recognized software packages although without using its trade brand name, uses the log-log plot to analyze pressure and pressure derivative test data to identify unique features from which exact analytical expression are derived to easily estimate reservoir and well parameters. For this case, the fingerprint characteristics from the log-log plot of the reciprocal rate and reciprocal rate derivative were employed to obtain the analytical expressions used for the interpretation analysis. Many simulation experiments demonstrate the accuracy of the new method. Synthetic examples are shown to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methodology

Final Report: Development of a Chemical Model to Predict the Interactions between Supercritical CO2, Fluid and Rock in EGS Reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McPherson, Brian J. [University of Utah; Pan, Feng [University of Utah

2014-09-24

This report summarizes development of a coupled-process reservoir model for simulating enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) that utilize supercritical carbon dioxide as a working fluid. Specifically, the project team developed an advanced chemical kinetic model for evaluating important processes in EGS reservoirs, such as mineral precipitation and dissolution at elevated temperature and pressure, and for evaluating potential impacts on EGS surface facilities by related chemical processes. We assembled a new database for better-calibrated simulation of water/brine/ rock/CO2 interactions in EGS reservoirs. This database utilizes existing kinetic and other chemical data, and we updated those data to reflect corrections for elevated temperature and pressure conditions of EGS reservoirs.

The History of Nontraditional or Ectopic Placement of Reservoirs in Prosthetic Urology.

Science.gov (United States)

Perito, Paul; Wilson, Steven

2016-04-01

Reservoir placement during implantation of prosthetic urology devices has been problematic throughout the history of the surgical treatment of erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. We thought it would be interesting to review the history of reservoir placement leading up to current surgical techniques. To provide an overview of the past and present techniques for reservoir placement and discuss the evolutionary process leading to safe and effective placement of prosthetic reservoirs. We reviewed data pertaining to inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) reservoirs and pressure-regulating balloons (PRB) in a chronological fashion, spanning 25 years. Main outcomes included a historical review of techniques for IPP reservoir and PRB placement leading to the subsequent incremental improvements in safety and efficacy when performing penile implants and artificial urinary sphincters. Prosthetic urologic reservoirs have traditionally been placed in the retropubic space. Over the years, urologists have attempted use of alternative spaces including peritoneal, epigastric, "ectopic," posterior to transversalis, and high submuscular. Current advances in prosthetic urologic reservoir placement allow safe and effective abdominal wall placement of reservoirs. These novel approaches appear to be so effective that urologists may now be able to cease using the traditional retropubic space for reservoir placement, even in the case of virgin pelves. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Applicability and optimization of SAGD in eastern Venezuela reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pina R, J.A.; Bashbush, J.L.; Fernandez, E.A. [Schlumberger, Caracas (Venezuela)

2008-10-15

Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is one of the most effective enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods. In Venezuela, a significant amount of heavy oil in place has been mapped, but limited areas have been developed. Suitable EOR methods need to be applied to extend the productive life of these reservoirs and increase their recovery factors. This paper presented and described an evaluation and stepwise optimization process for a steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) project using a representative sector model from a field with fluid and reservoir characteristics from an eastern Venezuela formation. The purpose of the study was to understand the impact of key parameters in the process specific to the selected area and to understand the effects on the recovery factor in these reservoirs, which have previously produced with primary recovery mechanisms. The paper discussed a sensitivity analysis that was performed using thermal simulation. Thermal simulation and pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) analysis were described. Parameters that were analyzed included vertical well spacing, injection steam rate, well flowing pressure, and horizontal length of the well pair. The paper also presented a brief analysis of the effect on oil recovery from the angle of dip in the reservoir and the orientation of the well pair with regard to the direction of dip. A comparison between two- and three- pseudocomponent model results was also provided. The authors recommended that economic analyses should accompany the final optimization sequence, to incorporate financial and technical considerations for the selection design of the SAGD pilot. 7 refs., 12 tabs., 18 figs.

Fiscal 1992 report on geothermal development promotion survey (Development of geothermal reservoir assessment technique); 1989 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa (Chinetsu choryusou hyoka shuho kaihatsu hokokusho)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-03-01

Efforts were exerted in fiscal 1984-1992 to develop techniques for appropriately assessing a geothermal reservoir for its productivity for duly predicting the optimum scale of power generation to be provided thereby. In the development of simulators, geothermal reservoir simulators (SING-1, -2, -3) and a geothermal well 2-phase flow simulator (WENG) were developed. As for the treatment of fractures in a reservoir and of substances soluble in the hot water, the methods for dealing with them were improved and augmented. In a model field study in a Hokkaido forest, reservoir pressure continuous observation and monitoring, temperature logging and pressure logging for existing wells, and geothermal fluid chemical analysis were performed for reservoir analysis, in which both natural state simulation and history mapping excellently reproduced the temperature and pressure distributions. The temperature and pressure distributions in a natural state simulation, out of the results of an analysis of the Oguni district model field, Kumamoto Prefecture, agreed not only with those in the natural state but also with the pressure transition data in the observation well. (NEDO)

Does increasing pressure always accelerate the condensed material decay initiated through bimolecular reactions? A case of the thermal decomposition of TKX-50 at high pressures.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zhipeng; Zeng, Qun; Xue, Xianggui; Zhang, Zengming; Nie, Fude; Zhang, Chaoyang

2017-08-30

Performances and behaviors under high temperature-high pressure conditions are fundamentals for many materials. We study in the present work the pressure effect on the thermal decomposition of a new energetic ionic salt (EIS), TKX-50, by confining samples in a diamond anvil cell, using Raman spectroscopy measurements and ab initio simulations. As a result, we find a quadratic increase in decomposition temperature (T d ) of TKX-50 with increasing pressure (P) (T d = 6.28P 2 + 12.94P + 493.33, T d and P in K and GPa, respectively, and R 2 = 0.995) and the decomposition under various pressures initiated by an intermolecular H-transfer reaction (a bimolecular reaction). Surprisingly, this finding is contrary to a general observation about the pressure effect on the decomposition of common energetic materials (EMs) composed of neutral molecules: increasing pressure will impede the decomposition if it starts from a bimolecular reaction. Our results also demonstrate that increasing pressure impedes the H-transfer via the enhanced long-range electrostatic repulsion of H +δ H +δ of neighboring NH 3 OH + , with blue shifts of the intermolecular H-bonds. And the subsequent decomposition of the H-transferred intermediates is also suppressed, because the decomposition proceeds from a bimolecular reaction to a unimolecular one, which is generally prevented by compression. These two factors are the basic root for which the decomposition retarded with increasing pressure of TKX-50. Therefore, our finding breaks through the previously proposed concept that, for the condensed materials, increasing pressure will accelerate the thermal decomposition initiated by bimolecular reactions, and reveals a distinct mechanism of the pressure effect on thermal decomposition. That is to say, increasing pressure does not always promote the condensed material decay initiated through bimolecular reactions. Moreover, such a mechanism may be feasible to other EISs due to the similar intermolecular

Initiation and arrest - two approaches to pressure vessel safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brumovsky, M.; Filip, R.; Stepanek, S.

1976-01-01

The safety analysis is described of the reactor pressure vessel related to brittle fracture based on the fracture mechanics theory using two different approximations, i.e., the Crack Arrest Temperature (CAT) or Nil Ductility Temperature (NDT), and fracture toughness. The variation of CAT with stress was determined for different steel specimens of 120 to 200 mm in thickness. A diagram is shown of CAT variation with stress allowing the determination of crack arrest temperature for all types of commonly used steels independently of the NDT initial value. The diagram also shows that the difference between fracture transition elastic (FTE) and NDT depends on the type of material and determines the value of the ΔTsub(sigma) factor typical of the safety coefficient. The so-called fracture toughness reference value Ksub(IR) is recommended for the computation of pressure vessel criticality. Also shown is a defect analysis diagram which may be used for the calculation of pressure vessel safety prior to and during operation and which may also be used in making the decision on what crack sizes are critical, what cracks may be arrested and what cracks are likely to expand. The diagram is also important for the fact that it is material-independent and may be employed for the estimates of pre-operational and operational inspections and for pressure vessel life prediction. It is generally applicable to materials of greater thickness in the region where the validity of linear elastic fracture mechanics is guaranteed. (J.P.)

Method of approximate electric modeling of oil reservoir operation with formation of a gas cap during mixed exploitation regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bragin, V A; Lyadkin, V Ya

1969-01-01

A potentiometric model is used to simulate the behavior of a reservoir in which pressure was dropped rapidly and solution gas migrated to the top of the structure forming a gas cap. Behavior of the system was represented by a differential equation, which was solved by an electrointegrator. The potentiometric model was found to closely represent past history of the reservoir, and to predict its future behavior. When this method is used in reservoirs where large pressure drops occur, repeated determination should be made at various time intervals, so that changes in relative permeability are taken into account.

Sampling from stochastic reservoir models constrained by production data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hegstad, Bjoern Kaare

1997-12-31

When a petroleum reservoir is evaluated, it is important to forecast future production of oil and gas and to assess forecast uncertainty. This is done by defining a stochastic model for the reservoir characteristics, generating realizations from this model and applying a fluid flow simulator to the realizations. The reservoir characteristics define the geometry of the reservoir, initial saturation, petrophysical properties etc. This thesis discusses how to generate realizations constrained by production data, that is to say, the realizations should reproduce the observed production history of the petroleum reservoir within the uncertainty of these data. The topics discussed are: (1) Theoretical framework, (2) History matching, forecasting and forecasting uncertainty, (3) A three-dimensional test case, (4) Modelling transmissibility multipliers by Markov random fields, (5) Up scaling, (6) The link between model parameters, well observations and production history in a simple test case, (7) Sampling the posterior using optimization in a hierarchical model, (8) A comparison of Rejection Sampling and Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, (9) Stochastic simulation and conditioning by annealing in reservoir description, and (10) Uncertainty assessment in history matching and forecasting. 139 refs., 85 figs., 1 tab.

Fracture Initiation of an Inhomogeneous Shale Rock under a Pressurized Supercritical CO2 Jet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Hu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Due to the advantages of good fracture performance and the application of carbon capture and storage (CCS, supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2 is considered a promising alternative for hydraulic fracturing. However, the fracture initiation mechanism and its propagation under pressurized SC-CO2 jet are still unknown. To address these problems, a fluid–structure interaction (FSI-based numerical simulation model along with a user-defined code was used to investigate the fracture initiation in an inhomogeneous shale rock. The mechanism of fracturing under the effect of SC-CO2 jet was explored, and the effects of various influencing factors were analyzed and discussed. The results indicated that higher velocity jets of SC-CO2 not only caused hydraulic-fracturing ring, but also resulted in the increase of stress in the shale rock. It was found that, with the increase of perforation pressure, more cracks initiated at the tip. In contrast, the length of cracks at the root decreased. The length-to-diameter ratio and the aperture ratio distinctly affected the pressurization of SC-CO2 jet, and contributed to the non-linear distribution and various maximum values of the stress in shale rock. The results proved that Weibull probability distribution was appropriate for analysis of the fracture initiation. The studied parameters explain the distribution of weak elements, and they affect the stress field in shale rock.

Measurement and calculation of gas compressibility factor for condensate gas and natural gas under pressure up to 116 MPa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Ke-Le; Liu, Huang; Sun, Chang-Yu; Ma, Qing-Lan; Chen, Guang-Jin; Shen, De-Ji; Xiao, Xiang-Jiao; Wang, Hai-Ying

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Volumetric properties of two reservoir fluid samples were measured with pressure up to 116 MPa. • Dew point pressures at four temperatures for condensate gas sample are obtained. • Correlations and thermodynamic model for describing gas compressibility factor under high pressure were compared. • The thermodynamic model recommended is most suitable for fluids produced from reservoirs with a wide pressure range. -- Abstract: The volumetric properties of two reservoir fluid samples collected from one condensate gas well and one natural gas well were measured under four groups of temperatures, respectively, with pressure up to 116 MPa. For the two samples examined, the experimental results show that the gas compressibility factor increases with the increase of pressure. But the influence of the temperature is related to the range of the experimental pressure. It approximately decreases with the increase of temperature when the pressure is larger than (45 to 50) MPa, while there is the opposite trend when the pressure is lower than (45 to 50) MPa. The dew point pressure was also determined for the condensate gas sample, which decreases with the increase of temperature. The capabilities of four empirical correlations and a thermodynamic model based on equation of state for describing gas compressibility factor of reservoir fluids under high pressure were investigated. The comparison results show that the thermodynamic model recommended is the most suitable for fluids whatever produced from high-pressure reservoirs or conventional mild-pressure reservoirs

The management of the Diama reservoir (Senegal River)

Science.gov (United States)

Duvail, S.; Hamerlynck, O.

2003-04-01

The Senegal River is regulated by 2 dams built in the 1980's by the "Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du fleuve Sénégal" (OMVS), a river basin management organisation grouping Mali, Senegal and Mauritania. The initial objectives of OMVS, which were to regulate the Senegal flows in order to develop irrigated agriculture, produce hydropower and facilitate river navigation has been only partially met. The maintenance of the annual flood by the upstream dam (Manantali), initially to be phased out when irrigated agriculture would have replaced the traditional recession agriculture, is now scheduled to continue indefinitely on the basis of socio-economic and environmental concerns. This change of mindset has however not affected the management of the downstream dam (Diama). Initially conceived as a salt-wedge dam, its function evolved to a reservoir dam with a high and constant water level. During the dry season, the water level is maintained high and constant in order to reduce the pumping costs for the irrigated agriculture in the delta. During the flood season (July-October) the dam is primarily managed for risk avoidance: limit flooding downstream of the dam (especially the city of St. Louis) and secure the infrastructure of the dam itself. The permanent freshwater reservoir lake has adverse effects on ecosystems, on human and animal health and a high social cost for the traditional stakeholders of the deltaic floodplain (fishermen, livestock keepers and gatherers). Upstream of the reservoir there is an excess of stagnant freshwater and managers are confronted with the development of invasive species while substantial downstream flooding is essential for the estuarine ecosystems and local livelihoods. The presentation will review the different approaches to the management of the Diama reservoir and proposes different management scenarios and compares their economical, environmental, and social costs and benefits.

A numerical investigation of combined heat storage and extraction in deep geothermal reservoirs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Major, Márton; Poulsen, Søren Erbs; Balling, Niels

2018-01-01

Heat storage capabilities of deep sedimentary geothermal reservoirs are evaluated through numerical model simulations. We combine storage with heat extraction in a doublet well system when storage phases are restricted to summer months. The effects of stored volume and annual repetition on energy...... recovery are investigated. Recovery factors are evaluated for several different model setups and we find that storing 90 °C water at 2500 m depth is capable of reproducing, on average 67% of the stored energy. In addition, ambient reservoir temperature of 75 °C is slightly elevated leading to increased...... efficiency. Additional simulations concerning pressure build-up in the reservoir are carried out to show that safety levels may not be reached. Reservoir characteristics are inspired by Danish geothermal conditions, but results are assumed to have more general validity. Thus, deep sedimentary reservoirs...

Wastewater injection and slip triggering: Results from a 3D coupled reservoir/rate-and-state model

Science.gov (United States)

Babazadeh, M.; Olson, J. E.; Schultz, R.

2017-12-01

Seismicity induced by fluid injection is controlled by parameters related to injection conditions, reservoir properties, and fault frictional behavior. We present results from a combined model that brings together injection physics, reservoir dynamics, and fault physics to better explain the primary controls on induced seismicity. We created a 3D fluid flow simulator using the embedded discrete fracture technique and then coupled it with a 3D displacement discontinuity model that uses rate and state friction to model slip events. The model is composed of three layers, including the top-seal, the injection reservoir, and the basement. Permeability is anisotropic (vertical vs horizontal) and along with porosity varies by layer. Injection control can be either rate or pressure. Fault properties include size, 2D permeability, and frictional properties. Several suites of simulations were run to evaluate the relative importance of each of the factors from all three parameter groups. We find that the injection parameters interact with the reservoir parameters in the context of the fault physics and these relations change for different reservoir and fault characteristics, leading to the need to examine the injection parameters only within the context of a particular faulted reservoir. For a reservoir with no flow boundaries, low permeability (5 md), and a fault with high fault-parallel permeability and critical stress, injection rate exerts the strongest control on magnitude and frequency of earthquakes. However, for a higher permeability reservoir (80 md), injection volume becomes the more important factor. Fault permeability structure is a key factor in inducing earthquakes in basement rocks below the injection reservoir. The initial failure state of the fault, which is challenging to assess, can have a big effect on the size and timing of events. For a fault 2 MPa below critical state, we were able to induce a slip event, but it occurred late in the injection history

Modeling Permeability Alteration in Diatomite Reservoirs During Steam Drive, SUPRI TR-113

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhat, Suniti Kumar; Kovscek, Anthony R.

1999-08-09

There is an estimated 10 billion barrels of original oil in place (OOIP) in diatomaceous reservoirs in Kern County, California. These reservoirs have low permeability ranging from 0.1 to 10 mD. Injection pressure controlled steam drive has been found to be an effective way to recover oil from these reservoir. However, steam drive in these reservoirs has its own complications. The rock matrix is primarily silica (SiO2). It is a known fact that silica is soluble in hot water and its solubility varies with temperature and pH. Due to this fact, the rock matrix in diatomite may dissolve into the aqueous phase as the temperature at a location increases or it may precipitate from the aqueous phase onto the rock grains as the temperature decreases. Thus, during steam drive silica redistribution will occur in the reservoir along with oil recovery. This silica redistribution causes the permeability and porosity of the reservoir to change. Understanding and quantifying these silica redistribution effects on the reservoir permeability might prove to be a key aspect of designing a steam drive project in these formations.

Risk Associated With The Decompression Of High Pressure High Temperature Fluids - Study On Black Oil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Figueroa, D. C.; Fosbøl, P. L.; Thomsen, K.

2015-01-01

Fluids produced from deep underground reservoirs may result in exponential increase in temperature. It is a consequence of adiabatic fluid decompression from the inverse Joule Thomson Effect (JTE). The phenomenon requires analysis in order to avoid any operational risks. This study evaluates...... the JTE upon decompression of black oil in high pressure-high temperature reservoirs. Also the effect caused by the presence of water and brine on the black oil is studied. The final temperature is calculated from the corresponding energy balance at isenthalpic and non-isenthalpic conditions. It is found...... that the final temperature of black oil increases upon adiabatic decompression. In the case of the isenthalpic process at initial conditions of the reservoir, e.g. 150°C and 1000 bars, it is found that the final temperature can increase to 173.7°C. At non-isenthalpic conditions the final temperature increases...

Production of natural gas from methane hydrate by a constant downhole pressure well

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmadi, Goodarz; Ji, Chuang; Smith, Duane H.

2007-01-01

Natural gas production from the dissociation of methane hydrate in a confined reservoir by a depressurizing downhole well was studied. The case that the well pressure was kept constant was treated, and two different linearization schemes in an axisymmetric configuration were used in the analysis. For different fixed well pressures and reservoir temperatures, approximate self similar solutions were obtained. Distributions of temperature, pressure and gas velocity field across the reservoir were evaluated. The distance of the decomposition front from the well and the natural gas production rate as functions of time were also computed. Time evolutions of the resulting profiles were presented in graphical forms, and their differences with the constant well output results were studied. It was shown that the gas production rate was a sensitive function of well pressure and reservoir temperature. The sensitivity of the results to the linearization scheme used was also studied

Use of geostatistic techniques to describe a reservoir to be submitted into a secondary recovery process field case: {open_quotes}Eocene B-Inferior/VLG-3659, Ceuta, Venezuela{close_quotes}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hernandez, T.; Poquioma, W. [Maraven, S.A., Caracas (Venezuela)

1997-08-01

This study presents the results of an integrated reservoir study of the Eocene B-Inferior/VLG-3659, Area 7, Ceuta filed. This field located in the Maracaibo Lake in the western side of Venezuela. The objective was to evaluating the feasibility to implement a secondary recovery project by means of water flooding. Core information was used for this study (194 ft), PVT analysis, RFI, build-up and statistic`s pressure analysis, modem logs and production history data. Using geostatistical techniques (Kriging) it was defined a low uncertainty geological model that was validated by means of a black oil simulator (Eclipse). The results showed a good comparison of historical pressure of the reservoir against those obtained from the model, without the need of {open_quotes}history matching{close_quotes}. It means without modifying neither the initial rock properties nor reservoir fluids. The results of this study recommended drilling in two new locations, also the reactivation of four producing wells and water flooding under peripherical array by means of four injection wells, with the recovery of an additional 30.2 MMSTB. The economical evaluation shows an internal return rate of 31.4%.

Mathematical simulation of oil reservoir properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez, A.; Romero, A.; Chavez, F.; Carrillo, F.; Lopez, S.

2008-01-01

The study and computational representation of porous media properties are very important for many industries where problems of fluid flow, percolation phenomena and liquid movement and stagnation are involved, for example, in building constructions, ore processing, chemical industries, mining, corrosion sciences, etc. Nevertheless, these kinds of processes present a noneasy behavior to be predicted and mathematical models must include statistical analysis, fractal and/or stochastic procedures to do it. This work shows the characterization of sandstone berea core samples which can be found as a porous media (PM) in natural oil reservoirs, rock formations, etc. and the development of a mathematical algorithm for simulating the anisotropic characteristics of a PM based on a stochastic distribution of some of their most important properties like porosity, permeability, pressure and saturation. Finally a stochastic process is used again to simulated the topography of an oil reservoir

Effects of Formation Damage on Productivity of Underground Gas Storage Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.I.C. Anyadiegwu

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Analysis of the effects of formation damage on the productivity of gas storage reservoirs was performed with depleted oil reservoir (OB-02, located onshore, Niger Delta, Nigeria. Information on the reservoir and the fluids from OB-02 were collected and used to evaluate the deliverabilities of the gas storage reservoir over a 10-year period of operation. The results obtained were used to plot graphs of deliverability against permeability and skin respectively. The graphs revealed that as the permeability decreased, the skin increased, and hence a decrease in deliverability of gas from the reservoir during gas withdrawal. Over the ten years of operating the reservoir for gas storage, the deliverability and permeability which were initially 2.7 MMscf/d and 50 mD, with a skin of 0.2, changed to new values of 0.88 MMscf/d and 24 mD with the skin as 4.1 at the tenth year.

The role of reservoir characterization in the reservoir management process (as reflected in the Department of Energy`s reservoir management demonstration program)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fowler, M.L. [BDM-Petroleum Technologies, Bartlesville, OK (United States); Young, M.A.; Madden, M.P. [BDM-Oklahoma, Bartlesville, OK (United States)] [and others

1997-08-01

Optimum reservoir recovery and profitability result from guidance of reservoir practices provided by an effective reservoir management plan. Success in developing the best, most appropriate reservoir management plan requires knowledge and consideration of (1) the reservoir system including rocks, and rock-fluid interactions (i.e., a characterization of the reservoir) as well as wellbores and associated equipment and surface facilities; (2) the technologies available to describe, analyze, and exploit the reservoir; and (3) the business environment under which the plan will be developed and implemented. Reservoir characterization is the essential to gain needed knowledge of the reservoir for reservoir management plan building. Reservoir characterization efforts can be appropriately scaled by considering the reservoir management context under which the plan is being built. Reservoir management plans de-optimize with time as technology and the business environment change or as new reservoir information indicates the reservoir characterization models on which the current plan is based are inadequate. BDM-Oklahoma and the Department of Energy have implemented a program of reservoir management demonstrations to encourage operators with limited resources and experience to learn, implement, and disperse sound reservoir management techniques through cooperative research and development projects whose objectives are to develop reservoir management plans. In each of the three projects currently underway, careful attention to reservoir management context assures a reservoir characterization approach that is sufficient, but not in excess of what is necessary, to devise and implement an effective reservoir management plan.

Elasticity of methane hydrate phases at high pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beam, Jennifer; Yang, Jing; Liu, Jin [Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Liu, Chujie [Laboratory of Seismology and Physics of Earth’s Interior, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Lin, Jung-Fu, E-mail: afu@jsg.utexas.edu [Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Center for High Pressure Science and Advanced Technology Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai 201203 (China)

2016-04-21

Determination of the full elastic constants (c{sub ij}) of methane hydrates (MHs) at extreme pressure-temperature environments is essential to our understanding of the elastic, thermodynamic, and mechanical properties of methane in MH reservoirs on Earth and icy satellites in the solar system. Here, we have investigated the elastic properties of singe-crystal cubic MH-sI, hexagonal MH-II, and orthorhombic MH-III phases at high pressures in a diamond anvil cell. Brillouin light scattering measurements, together with complimentary equation of state (pressure-density) results from X-ray diffraction and methane site occupancies in MH from Raman spectroscopy, were used to derive elastic constants of MH-sI, MH-II, and MH-III phases at high pressures. Analysis of the elastic constants for MH-sI and MH-II showed intriguing similarities and differences between the phases′ compressional wave velocity anisotropy and shear wave velocity anisotropy. Our results show that these high-pressure MH phases can exhibit distinct elastic, thermodynamic, and mechanical properties at relevant environments of their respective natural reservoirs. These results provide new insight into the determination of how much methane exists in MH reservoirs on Earth and on icy satellites elsewhere in the solar system and put constraints on the pressure and temperature conditions of their environment.

Production forecasting and economic evaluation of horizontal wells completed in natural fractured reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, R. D.

1996-01-01

A technique for optimizing recovery of hydrocarbons from naturally fractured reservoirs using horizontal well technology was proposed. The technique combines inflow performance analysis, production forecasting and economic considerations, and is based on material balance analysis and linear approximations of reservoir fluid properties as functions of reservoir pressure. An economic evaluation model accounting for the time value of cash flow, interest and inflation rates, is part of the package. Examples of using the technique have been demonstrated. The method is also applied to a gas well producing from a horizontal wellbore intersecting discrete natural fractures. 11 refs., 2 tabs,. 10 figs

Integration of dynamical data in a geostatistical model of reservoir; Integration des donnees dynamiques dans un modele geostatistique de reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa Reis, L.

2001-01-01

We have developed in this thesis a methodology of integrated characterization of heterogeneous reservoirs, from geologic modeling to history matching. This methodology is applied to the reservoir PBR, situated in Campos Basin, offshore Brazil, which has been producing since June 1979. This work is an extension of two other thesis concerning geologic and geostatistical modeling of the reservoir PBR from well data and seismic information. We extended the geostatistical litho-type model to the whole reservoir by using a particular approach of the non-stationary truncated Gaussian simulation method. This approach facilitated the application of the gradual deformation method to history matching. The main stages of the methodology for dynamic data integration in a geostatistical reservoir model are presented. We constructed a reservoir model and the initial difficulties in the history matching led us to modify some choices in the geological, geostatistical and flow models. These difficulties show the importance of dynamic data integration in reservoir modeling. The petrophysical property assignment within the litho-types was done by using well test data. We used an inversion procedure to evaluate the petrophysical parameters of the litho-types. The up-scaling is a necessary stage to reduce the flow simulation time. We compared several up-scaling methods and we show that the passage from the fine geostatistical model to the coarse flow model should be done very carefully. The choice of the fitting parameter depends on the objective of the study. In the case of the reservoir PBR, where water is injected in order to improve the oil recovery, the water rate of the producing wells is directly related to the reservoir heterogeneity. Thus, the water rate was chosen as the fitting parameter. We obtained significant improvements in the history matching of the reservoir PBR. First, by using a method we have proposed, called patchwork. This method allows us to built a coherent

Phytoplankton Composition and Abundance in Restored Maltański Reservoir under the Influence of Physico-Chemical Variables and Zooplankton Grazing Pressure.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Kozak

Full Text Available In this paper we present the effects of environmental factors and zooplankton food pressure on phytoplankton in the restored man-made Maltański Reservoir (MR. Two methods of restoration: biomanipulation and phosphorus inactivation have been applied in the reservoir. Nine taxonomical groups of phytoplankton represented in total by 183 taxa were stated there. The richest groups in respect of taxa number were green algae, cyanobacteria and diatoms. The diatoms, cryptophytes, chrysophytes, cyanobacteria, green algae and euglenophytes dominated in terms of abundance and/or biomass. There were significant changes among environmental parameters resulting from restoration measures which influenced the phytoplankton populations in the reservoir. These measures led to a decrease of phosphorus concentration due to its chemical inactivation and enhanced zooplankton grazing as a result of planktivorous fish stocking. The aim of the study is to analyse the reaction of phytoplankton to the restoration measures and, most importantly, to determine the extent to which the qualitative and quantitative composition of phytoplankton depends on variables changing under the influence of restoration in comparison with other environmental variables. We stated that application of restoration methods did cause significant changes in phytoplankton community structure. The abundance of most phytoplankton taxa was negatively correlated with large zooplankton filter feeders, and positively with zooplankton predators and concentrations of ammonium nitrogen and partly of phosphates. However, restoration was insufficient in the case of decreasing phytoplankton abundance. The effects of restoration treatments were of less importance for the abundance of phytoplankton than parameters that were independent of the restoration. This was due to the continuous inflow of large loads of nutrients from the area of the river catchment.

Phytoplankton Composition and Abundance in Restored Maltański Reservoir under the Influence of Physico-Chemical Variables and Zooplankton Grazing Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Kozak, Anna; Gołdyn, Ryszard; Dondajewska, Renata

2015-01-01

In this paper we present the effects of environmental factors and zooplankton food pressure on phytoplankton in the restored man-made Maltański Reservoir (MR). Two methods of restoration: biomanipulation and phosphorus inactivation have been applied in the reservoir. Nine taxonomical groups of phytoplankton represented in total by 183 taxa were stated there. The richest groups in respect of taxa number were green algae, cyanobacteria and diatoms. The diatoms, cryptophytes, chrysophytes, cyanobacteria, green algae and euglenophytes dominated in terms of abundance and/or biomass. There were significant changes among environmental parameters resulting from restoration measures which influenced the phytoplankton populations in the reservoir. These measures led to a decrease of phosphorus concentration due to its chemical inactivation and enhanced zooplankton grazing as a result of planktivorous fish stocking. The aim of the study is to analyse the reaction of phytoplankton to the restoration measures and, most importantly, to determine the extent to which the qualitative and quantitative composition of phytoplankton depends on variables changing under the influence of restoration in comparison with other environmental variables. We stated that application of restoration methods did cause significant changes in phytoplankton community structure. The abundance of most phytoplankton taxa was negatively correlated with large zooplankton filter feeders, and positively with zooplankton predators and concentrations of ammonium nitrogen and partly of phosphates. However, restoration was insufficient in the case of decreasing phytoplankton abundance. The effects of restoration treatments were of less importance for the abundance of phytoplankton than parameters that were independent of the restoration. This was due to the continuous inflow of large loads of nutrients from the area of the river catchment. PMID:25906352

Influence of temporal pressure constraint on the biomechanical organization of gait initiation made with or without an obstacle to clear.

Science.gov (United States)

Yiou, Eric; Fourcade, Paul; Artico, Romain; Caderby, Teddy

2016-06-01

Many daily motor tasks have to be performed under a temporal pressure constraint. This study aimed to explore the influence of such constraint on motor performance and postural stability during gait initiation. Young healthy participants initiated gait at maximal velocity under two conditions of temporal pressure: in the low-pressure condition, gait was self-initiated (self-initiated condition, SI); in the high-pressure condition, it was initiated as soon as possible after an acoustic signal (reaction-time condition, RT). Gait was initiated with and without an environmental constraint in the form of an obstacle to be cleared placed in front of participants. Results showed that the duration of postural adjustments preceding swing heel-off ("anticipatory postural adjustments", APAs) was shorter, while their amplitude was larger in RT compared to SI. These larger APAs allowed the participants to reach equivalent postural stability and motor performance in both RT and SI. In addition, the duration of the execution phase of gait initiation increased greatly in the condition with an obstacle to be cleared (OBST) compared to the condition without an obstacle (NO OBST), thereby increasing lateral instability and thus involving larger mediolateral APA. Similar effects of temporal pressure were obtained in NO OBST and OBST. This study shows the adaptability of the postural system to temporal pressure in healthy young adults initiating gait. The outcome of this study may provide a basis for better understanding the aetiology of balance impairments with the risk of falling in frail populations while performing daily complex tasks involving a whole-body progression.

INTEGRATED GEOLOGIC-ENGINEERING MODEL FOR REEF AND CARBONATE SHOAL RESERVOIRS ASSOCIATED WITH PALEOHIGHS: UPPER JURASSIC SMACKOVER FORMATION, NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ernest A. Mancini

2001-09-14

The University of Alabama in cooperation with Texas A&M University, McGill University, Longleaf Energy Group, Strago Petroleum Corporation, and Paramount Petroleum Company are undertaking an integrated, interdisciplinary geoscientific and engineering research project. The project is designed to characterize and model reservoir architecture, pore systems and rock-fluid interactions at the pore to field scale in Upper Jurassic Smackover reef and carbonate shoal reservoirs associated with varying degrees of relief on pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The project effort includes the prediction of fluid flow in carbonate reservoirs through reservoir simulation modeling which utilizes geologic reservoir characterization and modeling and the prediction of carbonate reservoir architecture, heterogeneity and quality through seismic imaging. The primary objective of the project is to increase the profitability, producibility and efficiency of recovery of oil from existing and undiscovered Upper Jurassic fields characterized by reef and carbonate shoals associated with pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs. The principal research effort for Year 1 of the project has been reservoir description and characterization. This effort has included four tasks: (1) geoscientific reservoir characterization, (2) the study of rock-fluid interactions, (3) petrophysical and engineering characterization and (4) data integration. This work was scheduled for completion in Year 1. Overall, the project work is on schedule. Geoscientific reservoir characterization is essentially completed. The architecture, porosity types and heterogeneity of the reef and shoal reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been characterized using geological and geophysical data. The study of rock-fluid interactions has been initiated. Observations regarding the diagenetic processes influencing pore system development and heterogeneity in these reef and shoal reservoirs have been

MIKROMITSETY- MIGRANTS IN MINGECHEVIR RESERVOIR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Salmanov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. It is hardly possible to predict the continued stability of the watercourse ecosystems without the study of biological characteristics and composition of organisms inhabiting them. In the last 35-40 years, environmental conditions of the Mingachevir reservoir are determined by the stationary anthropogenic pressure. It was found that such components of plankton as algae, bacteria and fungi play a leading role in the transformation and migration of pollutants. The role of the three groups of organisms is very important in maintaining the water quality by elimination of pollutants. Among the organisms inhabiting the Mingachevir Reservoir, micromycetes have not yet been studied. Therefore, the study of the species composition and seasonal dynamics, peculiarities of their growth and development in the environment with the presence of some of the pollutants should be considered to date.Methods. In order to determine the role of micromycetes-migrants in the mineralization of organic substrates, as an active participant of self-purification process, we used water samples from the bottom sediments as well as decaying and skeletonized stalks of cane, reeds, algae, macrophytes, exuvia of insects and fish remains submerged in water.Findings. For the first time, we obtained the data on the quality and quantity of microscopic mycelial fungi in freshwater bodies on the example of the Mingachevir water reservoir; we also studied the possibilities for oxygenating the autochthonous organic matter of allochthonous origin with micromycetes-migrants.Conclusions. It was found that the seasonal development of micromycetes-migrants within the Mingachevir reservoir is characterized by an increase in the number of species in the summer and a gradual reduction in species diversity in the fall. 

Hydromechanical and Thermomechanical Behaviour of Elastic Fractures during Thermal Stimulation of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Jalali, Mohammadreza; Valley, Benoît

2015-04-01

During the last two decades, incentives were put in place in order to feed our societies in energy with reduced CO2 emissions. Various policies have been considered to fulfill this strategy such as replacing coal by natural gas in power plants, producing electricity using CO2 free resources, and CO2 sequestration as a remediation for large point-source emitters (e.g. oil sands facilities, coal-fired power plants, and cement kilns). Naturally fractured reservoirs (NFRs) are among those geological structures which play a crucial role in the mentioned energy revolution. The behavior of fractured reservoirs during production processes is completely different than conventional reservoirs because of the dominant effects of fractures on fluid flux, with attendant issues of fracture fabric complexity and lithological heterogeneity. The level of complexity increases when thermal effects are taking place - as during the thermal stimulation of these stress-sensitive reservoirs in order to enhance the gas production in tight shales and/or increase the local conductivity of the fractures during the development of enhanced geothermal systems - where temperature is introduced as another degree of freedom in addition to pressure and displacement (or effective stress). Study of these stress-pressure-temperature effects requires a thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupling approach, which considers the simultaneous variation of effective stress, pore pressure, and temperature and their interactions. In this study, thermal, hydraulic and mechanical behavior of partially open and elastic fractures in a homogeneous, isotropic and low permeable porous rock is studied. In order to compare the hydromechanical (HM) and thermomechanical (TM) characteristics of these fractures, three different injection scenarios, i.e. constant isothermal fluid injection rate, constant cooling without any fluid injection and constant cold fluid injection, are considered. Both thermomechanical and hydromechanical

Utilizing natural gas huff and puff to enhance production in heavy oil reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wenlong, G.; Shuhong, W.; Jian, Z.; Xialin, Z. [Society of Petroleum Engineers, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)]|[PetroChina Co. Ltd., Beijing (China); Jinzhong, L.; Xiao, M. [China Univ. of Petroleum, Beijing (China)

2008-10-15

The L Block in the north structural belt of China's Tuha Basin is a super deep heavy oil reservoir. The gas to oil ratio (GOR) is 12 m{sup 3}/m{sup 3} and the initial bubble point pressure is only 4 MPa. The low production can be attributed to high oil viscosity and low flowability. Although steam injection is the most widely method for heavy oil production in China, it is not suitable for the L Block because of its depth. This paper reviewed pilot tests in which the natural gas huff and puff process was used to enhance production in the L Block. Laboratory experiments that included both conventional and unconventional PVT were conducted to determine the physical property of heavy oil saturated by natural gas. The experiments revealed that the heavy oil can entrap the gas for more than several hours because of its high viscosity. A pseudo bubble point pressure exists much lower than the bubble point pressure in manmade foamy oils, which is relative to the depressurization rate. Elastic energy could be maintained in a wider pressure scope than natural depletion without gas injection. A special experimental apparatus that can stimulate the process of gas huff and puff in the reservoir was also introduced. The foamy oil could be seen during the huff and puff experiment. Most of the oil flowed to the producer in a pseudo single phase, which is among the most important mechanisms for enhancing production. A pilot test of a single well demonstrated that the oil production increased from 1 to 2 cubic metres per day to 5 to 6 cubic metres per day via the natural gas huff and puff process. The stable production period which was 5 to 10 days prior to huff and puff, was prolonged to 91 days in the first cycle and 245 days in the second cycle. 10 refs., 1 tab., 12 figs.

Numerical simulation of Class 3 hydrate reservoirs exploiting using horizontal well by depressurization and thermal co-stimulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Shengwen; Lang, Xuemei; Wang, Yanhong; Wen, Yonggang; Fan, Shuanshi

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Depressurization and thermal co-stimulation using horizontal well were proposed. • 3D stimulation showed that gas release rate was 3 × 10 5 m 3 per day within 450 days. • 2D stimulation showed that Class 3 hydrates could be dissociated within 8500 days. • 2D Simulation showed that heat flow was 1620 W lasting 1500 days, and decreased fast. • 1.1× 10 5 kg water was collected within 2000 days and then no more water was produced. - Abstract: Class 3 hydrate reservoirs exploiting using horizontal well by depressurization and thermal co-stimulation was simulated using the HydarteResSim code. Results showed that more than 20% of hydrates in the reservoirs had been dissociated within 450 days at the well temperature of 42 °C and well pressure of 0.1P 0 , 0.2P 0 (P 0 is the initial pressure of the reservoirs, simplifying 42 °C and 0.1P 0 , 42 °C and 0.2P 0 ). While the production behavior of 42 °C and 0.5P 0 , 42 °C and 0.8P 0 were not so exciting. In order to understand the production character of the well in long term, the cross section of 1 m length reservoirs was simulated. Simulation results showed that 4.5 × 10 5 m 3 gas would be collected within 4500 days and 1.1 × 10 6 kg water could be produced within 1500 days in the well at 42 °C and 0.1P 0 . 3.5 × 10 5 m 3 gas would be collected within 8500 days and 1.1 × 10 6 kg water could be produced within 1500 days in the well at 42 °C and 0.2P 0 . The heat flow was 1620 W at the beginning and then decreased rapidly in the two cases. For reservoirs of 1495.2 m in length, about 6.7 × 10 8 m 3 and 5.3 × 10 8 m 3 gas would be collected in the well corresponding to conditions of 42 °C and 0.1P 0 , and 42 °C and 0.2P 0

Production of Natural Gas and Fluid Flow in Tight Sand Reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maria Cecilia Bravo

2006-06-30

This document reports progress of this research effort in identifying relationships and defining dependencies between macroscopic reservoir parameters strongly affected by microscopic flow dynamics and production well performance in tight gas sand reservoirs. These dependencies are investigated by identifying the main transport mechanisms at the pore scale that should affect fluids flow at the reservoir scale. A critical review of commercial reservoir simulators, used to predict tight sand gas reservoir, revealed that many are poor when used to model fluid flow through tight reservoirs. Conventional simulators ignore altogether or model incorrectly certain phenomena such as, Knudsen diffusion, electro-kinetic effects, ordinary diffusion mechanisms and water vaporization. We studied the effect of Knudsen's number in Klinkenberg's equation and evaluated the effect of different flow regimes on Klinkenberg's parameter b. We developed a model capable of explaining the pressure dependence of this parameter that has been experimentally observed, but not explained in the conventional formalisms. We demonstrated the relevance of this, so far ignored effect, in tight sands reservoir modeling. A 2-D numerical simulator based on equations that capture the above mentioned phenomena was developed. Dynamic implications of new equations are comprehensively discussed in our work and their relative contribution to the flow rate is evaluated. We performed several simulation sensitivity studies that evidenced that, in general terms, our formalism should be implemented in order to get more reliable tight sands gas reservoirs' predictions.

Calibration of Seismic Attributes for Reservoir Characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wayne D. Pennington

2002-09-29

The project, "Calibration of Seismic Attributes for Reservoir Characterization," is now complete. Our original proposed scope of work included detailed analysis of seismic and other data from two to three hydrocarbon fields; we have analyzed data from four fields at this level of detail, two additional fields with less detail, and one other 2D seismic line used for experimentation. We also included time-lapse seismic data with ocean-bottom cable recordings in addition to the originally proposed static field data. A large number of publications and presentations have resulted from this work, inlcuding several that are in final stages of preparation or printing; one of these is a chapter on "Reservoir Geophysics" for the new Petroleum Engineering Handbook from the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Major results from this project include a new approach to evaluating seismic attributes in time-lapse monitoring studies, evaluation of pitfalls in the use of point-based measurements and facies classifications, novel applications of inversion results, improved methods of tying seismic data to the wellbore, and a comparison of methods used to detect pressure compartments. Some of the data sets used are in the public domain, allowing other investigators to test our techniques or to improve upon them using the same data. From the public-domain Stratton data set we have demonstrated that an apparent correlation between attributes derived along 'phantom' horizons are artifacts of isopach changes; only if the interpreter understands that the interpretation is based on this correlation with bed thickening or thinning, can reliable interpretations of channel horizons and facies be made. From the public-domain Boonsville data set we developed techniques to use conventional seismic attributes, including seismic facies generated under various neural network procedures, to subdivide regional facies determined from logs into productive and non-productive subfacies, and we

CALIBRATION OF SEISMIC ATTRIBUTES FOR RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wayne D. Pennington; Horacio Acevedo; Aaron Green; Joshua Haataja; Shawn Len; Anastasia Minaeva; Deyi Xie

2002-10-01

The project, ''Calibration of Seismic Attributes for Reservoir Calibration,'' is now complete. Our original proposed scope of work included detailed analysis of seismic and other data from two to three hydrocarbon fields; we have analyzed data from four fields at this level of detail, two additional fields with less detail, and one other 2D seismic line used for experimentation. We also included time-lapse seismic data with ocean-bottom cable recordings in addition to the originally proposed static field data. A large number of publications and presentations have resulted from this work, including several that are in final stages of preparation or printing; one of these is a chapter on ''Reservoir Geophysics'' for the new Petroleum Engineering Handbook from the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Major results from this project include a new approach to evaluating seismic attributes in time-lapse monitoring studies, evaluation of pitfalls in the use of point-based measurements and facies classifications, novel applications of inversion results, improved methods of tying seismic data to the wellbore, and a comparison of methods used to detect pressure compartments. Some of the data sets used are in the public domain, allowing other investigators to test our techniques or to improve upon them using the same data. From the public-domain Stratton data set we have demonstrated that an apparent correlation between attributes derived along ''phantom'' horizons are artifacts of isopach changes; only if the interpreter understands that the interpretation is based on this correlation with bed thickening or thinning, can reliable interpretations of channel horizons and facies be made. From the public-domain Boonsville data set we developed techniques to use conventional seismic attributes, including seismic facies generated under various neural network procedures, to subdivide regional facies determined from logs into

Steam explosions of molten iron oxide drops: easier initiation at small pressurizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, L.S.; Duda, P.M.

1982-01-01

Steam explosions caused by hot molten materials contacting liquid water following a possible light water nuclear reactor core overheat have been investigated by releasing single drops of a core melt simulant, molten iron oxide, into liquid water. Small steam explosions were triggered shortly afterwards by applying a pressure pulse to the water. The threshold peak pulse level above which an explosion always occurs was studied at ambient pressures between 0.083 and 1.12 MPa. It was found that the threshold decreased to a minimum in the range 0.2 - 0.8 MPa and then increased again. The effect of easier initiation as ambient pressure increases may have an important role in the triggering and propagation of a large scale steam explosion through a coarsely premixed dispersion of melt in water. (U.K.)

Simulating cold production by a coupled reservoir-geomechanics model with sand erosion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Y.; Xue, S. [Petro-Geotech Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2002-06-01

This paper presents a newly developed fully coupled reservoir-geomechanics model with sand erosion. Sand production occurs during aggressive production induced by the impact of viscous fluid flow and the in situ stress concentration near a wellbore, as well as by perforation tips in poorly consolidated formations. This compromises oil production, increases well completion costs, and reduces the life cycles of equipment down hole and on the surface. The proposed model can be used for sand production studies in conventional oil/gas reservoirs such as the North Sea as well as in heavy oil reservoirs such as in northwestern Canada. Instead of generating a high permeability network in reservoirs, the enhanced oil production is determined by the increase in the effective wellbore radius. This paper presents the general model. A detailed study on the capillary pressure and the impact of multiphase flow on sanding and erosion will be conducted at a later date. It appears that 2 phase flow can be important to elastoplasticity if no significant sand erosion has occurred. It was determined that high porosity is induced by erosion and capillary pressure. Two phase flow can be important when the built-up drag force carries sand-fluid slurry into the well. It is concluded that viscosity and flow velocity can help estimate the slurry transport, sand rate and enhanced oil production. 22 refs., 3 tabs., 11 figs.

Well pressure and rate history match in numerical reservoir simulator in Santos Basin gas wells; Ajuste automatizado de testes de formacao e de producao no simulador numerico de reservatorios de pocos de gas na Bacia de Santos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xavier, Alexandre Monticuco [Petroleo Brasileiro, S.A. (PETROBRAS), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2012-07-01

This paper describes a methodology and shows some results from an automated adjust of the numerical reservoir simulation model accomplished during Drill Steam Test (DST - before the completion of the well) and a Production Test (PT - after completion of the well) in a gas field HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) horizontal well in Santos Basin. The achievement of these tests in the numerical reservoir simulator is very useful in the characterization of reservoir properties in different areas of reservoir, mainly in regions without data from basic petrophysics (cores and sidewall cores). The adjust of the drill steam test and production test can support the characterization of the test drainage area and forecast the well potential before and after the well completion including these effects in the simulation model. These effects can show a reasonable reduction in production of this well, confirming the importance of these data inside of the simulation model. Between the period of the drill steam test and production test, the well was temporarily abandoned with drilling fluid providing a reduction in their potential. The results of these adjusts respect the bottom hole pressures and observed gas rates showing the consistency of the analysis. The achievement of these tests provides adjust of many reservoir properties: horizontal and vertical permeabilities (during the DST) and the well effective length and skin (during the PT). These tools demonstrate to be relevant and robust to achieve these adjusts and easy application considering lots of variables. The parallel processing had a substantial functions in this job, because the large number of simulation made. (author)

A direct method for determining complete positive and negative capillary pressure curves for reservoir rock using the centrifuge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spinler, E.A.; Baldwin, B.A. [Phillips Petroleum Co., Bartlesville, OK (United States)

1997-08-01

A method is being developed for direct experimental determination of capillary pressure curves from saturation distributions produced during centrifuging fluids in a rock plug. A free water level is positioned along the length of the plugs to enable simultaneous determination of both positive and negative capillary pressures. Octadecane as the oil phase is solidified by temperature reduction while centrifuging to prevent fluid redistribution upon removal from the centrifuge. The water saturation is then measured via magnetic resonance imaging. The saturation profile within the plug and the calculation of pressures for each point of the saturation profile allows for a complete capillary pressure curve to be determined from one experiment. Centrifuging under oil with a free water level into a 100 percent water saturated plug results in the development of a primary drainage capillary pressure curve. Centrifuging similarly at an initial water saturation in the plug results in the development of an imbibition capillary pressure curve. Examples of these measurements are presented for Berea sandstone and chalk rocks.

Failure criterion effect on solid production prediction and selection of completion solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dariush Javani

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Production of fines together with reservoir fluid is called solid production. It varies from a few grams or less per ton of reservoir fluid posing only minor problems, to catastrophic amount possibly leading to erosion and complete filling of the borehole. This paper assesses solid production potential in a carbonate gas reservoir located in the south of Iran. Petrophysical logs obtained from the vertical well were employed to construct mechanical earth model. Then, two failure criteria, i.e. Mohr–Coulomb and Mogi–Coulomb, were used to investigate the potential of solid production of the well in the initial and depleted conditions of the reservoir. Using these two criteria, we estimated critical collapse pressure and compared them to the reservoir pressure. Solid production occurs if collapse pressure is greater than pore pressure. Results indicate that the two failure criteria show different estimations of solid production potential of the studied reservoir. Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion estimated solid production in both initial and depleted conditions, where Mogi–Coulomb criterion predicted no solid production in the initial condition of reservoir. Based on Mogi–Coulomb criterion, the well may not require completion solutions like perforated liner, until at least 60% of reservoir pressure was depleted which leads to decrease in operation cost and time.

Experimental and numerical modeling of sulfur plugging in carbonate reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abou-Kassem, J.H. [Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, UAE University, PO Box 17555, Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates)

2000-05-01

Sour gas, mainly in the form of hydrogen sulfide, is produced in large amounts from many oil and gas reservoirs in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to creating problems in production lines, the precipitation of elemental sulfur in vicinity of the wellbore is often reported to cause wellbore damage. While there have been several studies performed on the role of solid deposition in gas reservoirs, the role of sulfur deposition in oil reservoirs has not been investigated. This paper presents experimental results along with a comprehensive wellbore model that predicts sulfur precipitation as well as plugging. Two separate sets of experiments, one for a gas phase system and another for a crude oil system, were conducted to investigate the deposition of elemental sulfur in (linear) carbonate cores. The gas flow tests were conducted with elemental sulfur being carried with nitrogen through limestone cores. Changes in gas flow rate were monitored while the injection pressure was held constant. A series of experiments generated valuable data for plugging with elemental sulfur. X-ray diffraction tests provided evidence of sulfur deposition along the cores. The oil flow tests were carried out to observe sulfur precipitation and plugging in a carbonate core. The crude oil was de-asphalted before conducting these tests in order to isolate the effect of asphaltene plugging. Significant plugging was observed and was found to be dependent on flow rate and initial sulfur concentration. This information was used in a phenomenological model that was incorporated in the wellbore numerical model. The data for the numerical model were obtained from both test tube and oil flow experiments. By using a phenomenological model, the wellbore plugging was modeled with an excellent match (with experimental results)

Sensitivity analysis and economic optimization studies of inverted five-spot gas cycling in gas condensate reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Shams, Bilal; Yao, Jun; Zhang, Kai; Zhang, Lei

2017-08-01

Gas condensate reservoirs usually exhibit complex flow behaviors because of propagation response of pressure drop from the wellbore into the reservoir. When reservoir pressure drops below the dew point in two phase flow of gas and condensate, the accumulation of large condensate amount occurs in the gas condensate reservoirs. Usually, the saturation of condensate accumulation in volumetric gas condensate reservoirs is lower than the critical condensate saturation that causes trapping of large amount of condensate in reservoir pores. Trapped condensate often is lost due to condensate accumulation-condensate blockage courtesy of high molecular weight, heavy condensate residue. Recovering lost condensate most economically and optimally has always been a challenging goal. Thus, gas cycling is applied to alleviate such a drastic loss in resources. In gas injection, the flooding pattern, injection timing and injection duration are key parameters to study an efficient EOR scenario in order to recover lost condensate. This work contains sensitivity analysis on different parameters to generate an accurate investigation about the effects on performance of different injection scenarios in homogeneous gas condensate system. In this paper, starting time of gas cycling and injection period are the parameters used to influence condensate recovery of a five-spot well pattern which has an injection pressure constraint of 3000 psi and production wells are constraint at 500 psi min. BHP. Starting injection times of 1 month, 4 months and 9 months after natural depletion areapplied in the first study. The second study is conducted by varying injection duration. Three durations are selected: 100 days, 400 days and 900 days. In miscible gas injection, miscibility and vaporization of condensate by injected gas is more efficient mechanism for condensate recovery. From this study, it is proven that the application of gas cycling on five-spot well pattern greatly enhances condensate recovery

Modeling brine-rock interactions in an enhanced geothermal systemdeep fractured reservoir at Soultz-Sous-Forets (France): a joint approachusing two geochemical codes: frachem and toughreact

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andre, Laurent; Spycher, Nicolas; Xu, Tianfu; Vuataz,Francois-D.; Pruess, Karsten.

2006-12-31

The modeling of coupled thermal, hydrological, and chemical (THC) processes in geothermal systems is complicated by reservoir conditions such as high temperatures, elevated pressures and sometimes the high salinity of the formation fluid. Coupled THC models have been developed and applied to the study of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) to forecast the long-term evolution of reservoir properties and to determine how fluid circulation within a fractured reservoir can modify its rock properties. In this study, two simulators, FRACHEM and TOUGHREACT, specifically developed to investigate EGS, were applied to model the same geothermal reservoir and to forecast reservoir evolution using their respective thermodynamic and kinetic input data. First, we report the specifics of each of these two codes regarding the calculation of activity coefficients, equilibrium constants and mineral reaction rates. Comparisons of simulation results are then made for a Soultz-type geothermal fluid (ionic strength {approx}1.8 molal), with a recent (unreleased) version of TOUGHREACT using either an extended Debye-Hueckel or Pitzer model for calculating activity coefficients, and FRACHEM using the Pitzer model as well. Despite somewhat different calculation approaches and methodologies, we observe a reasonably good agreement for most of the investigated factors. Differences in the calculation schemes typically produce less difference in model outputs than differences in input thermodynamic and kinetic data, with model results being particularly sensitive to differences in ion-interaction parameters for activity coefficient models. Differences in input thermodynamic equilibrium constants, activity coefficients, and kinetics data yield differences in calculated pH and in predicted mineral precipitation behavior and reservoir-porosity evolution. When numerically cooling a Soultz-type geothermal fluid from 200 C (initially equilibrated with calcite at pH 4.9) to 20 C and suppressing mineral

Aquatic macrophyte community varies in urban reservoirs with different degrees of eutrophication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suelen Cristina Alves da Silva

2014-06-01

Full Text Available AIM: Investigate spatial and temporal variation in the aquatic macrophyte community in four urban reservoirs located in Curitiba metropolitan region, Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that aquatic macrophyte community differ among reservoirs with different degrees of eutrophication. METHODS: The reservoirs selected ranged from oligotrophic/mesotrophic to eutrophic. Sampling occurred in October 2011, January 2012 and June 2012. Twelve aquatic macrophytes stands were sampled at each reservoir. Species were identified and the relative abundance of aquatic macrophytes was estimated. Differences among reservoirs and over sampling periods were analyzed: i through two‑way ANOVAs considering the stand extent (m and the stand biodiversity - species richness, evenness, Shannon-Wiener index and beta diversity (species variation along the aquatic macrophyte stand; and ii through PERMANOVA considering species composition. Indicator species that were characteristic for each reservoir were also identified. RESULTS: The aquatic macrophyte stand extent varied among reservoirs and over sampling periods. Species richness showed only temporal variation. On the other hand, evenness and Shannon-Wiener index varied only among reservoirs. The beta diversity of macrophyte stands did not vary among reservoirs or over time, meaning that species variability among aquatic macrophyte stands was independent of the stand extent and reservoir eutrophication. Community composition depended on the reservoir and sampling period. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support our initial expectation that reservoirs of different degrees of eutrophication have different aquatic macrophyte communities. As a consequence, each reservoir had particular indicator species. Therefore, monitoring and management efforts must be offered for each reservoir individually.

1D Thermal-Hydraulic-Chemical (THC) Reactive transport modeling for deep geothermal systems: A case study of Groß Schönebeck reservoir, Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Driba, D. L.; De Lucia, M.; Peiffer, S.

2014-12-01

Fluid-rock interactions in geothermal reservoirs are driven by the state of disequilibrium that persists among solid and solutes due to changing temperature and pressure. During operation of enhanced geothermal systems, injection of cooled water back into the reservoir disturbs the initial thermodynamic equilibrium between the reservoir and its geothermal fluid, which may induce modifications in permeability through changes in porosity and pore space geometry, consequently bringing about several impairments to the overall system.Modeling of fluid-rock interactions induced by injection of cold brine into Groß Schönebeck geothermal reservoir system situated in the Rotliegend sandstone at 4200m depth have been done by coupling geochemical modeling Code Phreeqc with OpenGeoSys. Through batch modeling the re-evaluation of the measured hydrochemical composition of the brine has been done using Quintessa databases, the results from the calculation indicate that a mineral phases comprising of K-feldspar, hematite, Barite, Calcite and Dolomite was found to match the hypothesis of equilibrium with the formation fluid, Reducing conditions are presumed in the model (pe = -3.5) in order to match the amount of observed dissolved Fe and thus considered as initial state for the reactive transport modeling. based on a measured composition of formation fluids and the predominant mineralogical assemblage of the host rock, a preliminary 1D Reactive transport modeling (RTM) was run with total time set to 30 years; results obtained for the initial simulation revealed that during this period, no significant change is evident for K-feldspar. Furthermore, the precipitation of calcite along the flow path in the brine results in a drop of pH from 6.2 to a value of 5.2 noticed over the simulated period. The circulation of cooled fluid in the reservoir is predicted to affect the temperature of the reservoir within the first 100 -150m from the injection well. Examination of porosity change in

Phytoplankton assemblage of a small, shallow, tropical African reservoir.

Science.gov (United States)

Mustapha, Moshood K

2009-12-01

I measured physico-chemical properties and phytoplankton in the small, shallow tropical reservoir of Oyun (Offa, Nigeria) between January 2002 and December 2003. I identified 25 phytoplankton genera in three sampling stations. Bacillariophyceae dominated (75.3%), followed by Chlorophyceae (12.2%), Cyanobacteria (11.1%) and Desmidiaceae (0.73%). The high amount of nutrients (e.g. nitrate, phosphate, sulphate and silica) explain phytoplankton heterogeneity (p<0.05). Phytoplankton was abundant during the rainy season, but the transition period had the richest assemblage and abundance. Fluctuations in phytoplankton density were a result of seasonal changes in concentration of nutrients, grazing pressure and reservoir hydrology. The reservoir is eutrophic with excellent water quality and a diverse phytoplankton assemblage: fish production would be high. These conditions resulted from strategies such as watershed best management practices (BMPs) to control eutrophication and sedimentation, and priorities for water usage established through legislation. Additional measures are recommended to prevent oligotrophy, hypereutrophy, excessive phytoplankton bloom, toxic cyanobacteria, and run-off of organic waste and salts.

Acoustic dew point and bubble point detector for gas condensates and reservoir fluids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sivaraman, A.; Hu, Y.; Thomas, F. B.; Bennion, D. B.; Jamaluddin, A. K. M. [Hycal Energy Research Labs. Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada)

1997-08-01

Detailed knowledge of bubblepoint and dewpoint pressures at reservoir temperature are crucial for natural gas processing, transportation, metering and utilization. This paper introduces a new acoustic dewpoint and bubblepoint detector that can be applied to a broad range of phase transitions, including very lean gas systems and opaque heavy oils. The system uses two acoustic transducers, one to stimulate and the other to detect normal mode vibrations of reservoir fluids in a small cylindrical resonator. The acoustic spectra are recorded at close intervals throughout the phase envelope, along with temperature, pressure and volume measurements, and the data is processed to obtain the specific condition of phase transition. Results of two systems, a binary mixture and live reservoir fluid, are presented. The detector system is claimed to be capable of operation in an isothermal mode with variable volume, and in a constant volume mode with variable temperatures. Interpretation of results is free of operator subjectivity; they show excellent agreement with results obtained by visual methods and equations of state calculations. 4 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs.

Analysis of real-time reservoir monitoring : reservoirs, strategies, & modeling.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mani, Seethambal S.; van Bloemen Waanders, Bart Gustaaf; Cooper, Scott Patrick; Jakaboski, Blake Elaine; Normann, Randy Allen; Jennings, Jim (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Gilbert, Bob (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Lake, Larry W. (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Weiss, Chester Joseph; Lorenz, John Clay; Elbring, Gregory Jay; Wheeler, Mary Fanett (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Thomas, Sunil G. (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Rightley, Michael J.; Rodriguez, Adolfo (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Klie, Hector (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Banchs, Rafael (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Nunez, Emilio J. (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX); Jablonowski, Chris (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX)

2006-11-01

The project objective was to detail better ways to assess and exploit intelligent oil and gas field information through improved modeling, sensor technology, and process control to increase ultimate recovery of domestic hydrocarbons. To meet this objective we investigated the use of permanent downhole sensors systems (Smart Wells) whose data is fed real-time into computational reservoir models that are integrated with optimized production control systems. The project utilized a three-pronged approach (1) a value of information analysis to address the economic advantages, (2) reservoir simulation modeling and control optimization to prove the capability, and (3) evaluation of new generation sensor packaging to survive the borehole environment for long periods of time. The Value of Information (VOI) decision tree method was developed and used to assess the economic advantage of using the proposed technology; the VOI demonstrated the increased subsurface resolution through additional sensor data. Our findings show that the VOI studies are a practical means of ascertaining the value associated with a technology, in this case application of sensors to production. The procedure acknowledges the uncertainty in predictions but nevertheless assigns monetary value to the predictions. The best aspect of the procedure is that it builds consensus within interdisciplinary teams The reservoir simulation and modeling aspect of the project was developed to show the capability of exploiting sensor information both for reservoir characterization and to optimize control of the production system. Our findings indicate history matching is improved as more information is added to the objective function, clearly indicating that sensor information can help in reducing the uncertainty associated with reservoir characterization. Additional findings and approaches used are described in detail within the report. The next generation sensors aspect of the project evaluated sensors and packaging

Numerical investigation of electricity generation potential from fractured granite reservoir through a single vertical well at Yangbajing geothermal field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, Yu-Chao; Zhan, Jie-Min; Wu, Neng-You; Luo, Ying-Ying; Cai, Wen-Hao

2016-01-01

Deep geological exploration indicates that there is a high-temperature fractured granite reservoir at depth of 950 ~ 1350 m in well ZK4001 in the north of Yangbajing geothermal field, with an average temperature of 248 °C and a pressure within 8.01 ~ 11.57 MPa; in this well there mainly produces liquid and steam two-phase flow. In this work we numerically investigated the electricity generation potential from the fractured granite reservoir through a single vertical well, analyzed the process and mechanism of the two-phase flow, and evaluated main factors affecting the heat production and electricity generation. The results show that under the reference conditions the system attains a pump power of 0.02 ~ 0.16 MW, an electrical power of 2.71 ~ 2.69 MW, and an energy efficiency of 68.06 ~ 16.34, showing favorable electricity generation performance. During the production period, the bottomhole production pressure gradually decreases, and this makes the pump power increasing and the energy efficiency decreasing. When the bottomhole pressure is lower than the saturated vapor pressure, the liquid water begins to evaporate and the bottomhole wellbore begins to produce the mixture of liquid and steam. Main factors affecting the performance are reservoir porosity, permeability and fluid production rate. Higher reservoir porosity or higher permeability or lower fluid production rate will increase the bottomehole pressure, decrease the pump power and improve the energy efficiency. - Highlights: • We established a numerical model of a single vertical well heat mining system. • Desirable electricity production performance can be obtained under suitable conditions. • The system attains an electric power of 2.71 ~ 2.69 MW with an efficiency of about 68.06 ~ 16.34. • Electric power mainly depends on the reservoir porosity and water production rate. • Higher permeability within a certain range is favorable for electricity generation.

Modelling of Reservoir Operations using Fuzzy Logic and ANNs

Science.gov (United States)

Van De Giesen, N.; Coerver, B.; Rutten, M.

2015-12-01

Today, almost 40.000 large reservoirs, containing approximately 6.000 km3 of water and inundating an area of almost 400.000 km2, can be found on earth. Since these reservoirs have a storage capacity of almost one-sixth of the global annual river discharge they have a large impact on the timing, volume and peaks of river discharges. Global Hydrological Models (GHM) are thus significantly influenced by these anthropogenic changes in river flows. We developed a parametrically parsimonious method to extract operational rules based on historical reservoir storage and inflow time-series. Managing a reservoir is an imprecise and vague undertaking. Operators always face uncertainties about inflows, evaporation, seepage losses and various water demands to be met. They often base their decisions on experience and on available information, like reservoir storage and the previous periods inflow. We modeled this decision-making process through a combination of fuzzy logic and artificial neural networks in an Adaptive-Network-based Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). In a sensitivity analysis, we compared results for reservoirs in Vietnam, Central Asia and the USA. ANFIS can indeed capture reservoirs operations adequately when fed with a historical monthly time-series of inflows and storage. It was shown that using ANFIS, operational rules of existing reservoirs can be derived without much prior knowledge about the reservoirs. Their validity was tested by comparing actual and simulated releases with each other. For the eleven reservoirs modelled, the normalised outflow, , was predicted with a MSE of 0.002 to 0.044. The rules can be incorporated into GHMs. After a network for a specific reservoir has been trained, the inflow calculated by the hydrological model can be combined with the release and initial storage to calculate the storage for the next time-step using a mass balance. Subsequently, the release can be predicted one time-step ahead using the inflow and storage.

Adaptive implicit method for thermal compositional reservoir simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agarwal, A.; Tchelepi, H.A. [Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson, TX (United States)]|[Stanford Univ., Palo Alto (United States)

2008-10-15

As the global demand for oil increases, thermal enhanced oil recovery techniques are becoming increasingly important. Numerical reservoir simulation of thermal methods such as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is complex and requires a solution of nonlinear mass and energy conservation equations on a fine reservoir grid. The most currently used technique for solving these equations is the fully IMplicit (FIM) method which is unconditionally stable, allowing for large timesteps in simulation. However, it is computationally expensive. On the other hand, the method known as IMplicit pressure explicit saturations, temperature and compositions (IMPEST) is computationally inexpensive, but it is only conditionally stable and restricts the timestep size. To improve the balance between the timestep size and computational cost, the thermal adaptive IMplicit (TAIM) method uses stability criteria and a switching algorithm, where some simulation variables such as pressure, saturations, temperature, compositions are treated implicitly while others are treated with explicit schemes. This presentation described ongoing research on TAIM with particular reference to thermal displacement processes such as the stability criteria that dictate the maximum allowed timestep size for simulation based on the von Neumann linear stability analysis method; the switching algorithm that adapts labeling of reservoir variables as implicit or explicit as a function of space and time; and, complex physical behaviors such as heat and fluid convection, thermal conduction and compressibility. Key numerical results obtained by enhancing Stanford's General Purpose Research Simulator (GPRS) were also presented along with a list of research challenges. 14 refs., 2 tabs., 11 figs., 1 appendix.

Initial pressure spike and its propagation phenomena in sodium-water reaction tests for MONJU steam generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, M.; Hiroi, H.; Tanaka, N.; Hori, M.

1977-01-01

With the objective of demonstrating the safe design of steam generators for prototype LMFBR MONJU against the postulated large-leak accident, a number of large-leak sodium-water reaction tests have been conducted using the SWAT-1 and SWAT-3 rigs. Investigation of the potential effects of pressure load on the system is one of the major concerns in these tests. This paper reports the behavior of initial pressure spike in the reaction vessel, its propagation phenomena to the simulated secondary cooling system, and the comparisons with the computer code for one-dimensional pressure wave propagation problems. Both rigs used are the scaled-down models of the helically coiled steam generators of MONJU. The SWAT-1 rig is a simplified model and consists of a reaction vessel (1/8 scale of MONJU evaporator with 0.4 m dia. and 2.5 m height) and a pressure relief system i.e., a pressure relief line and a reaction products tank. On the other hand, the SWAT-3 rig is a 1/2.5 scale of MONJU SG system and consists of an evaporator (reaction vessel with 1.3 m dia. and 6.35 m height), a superheater, an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX), a piping system simulating the secondary cooling circuit and a pressure relief system. The both water injection systems consist of a water injection line with a rupture disk installed in front of injection hole and an electrically heated water tank. Choice of water injection rates in the scaled-down models is made based on the method of iso-velocity modeling. Test results indicated that the characteristics of the initial pressure spike are dominated by those of initial water injection which are controlled by the conditions of water heater and the size of water injection hole, etc

The influence of lumping on the behavior of reservoir with light oil and CO2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scanavini, Helena Finardi Alvares [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNISIM/UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia de Petroleo. Pesquisa em Simulacao e Gerenciamento de Reservatorios; Schiozer, Denis Jose [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (DEP/FEM/UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Fac. de Engenharia Mecanica. Dept. de Engenharia de Petroleo

2012-07-01

Compositional simulation demands a large number of equations and functions to be solved, once fluid properties depend on reservoir pressure and temperature and also on fluid composition. As a consequence, the number of components used influences considerably in the simulation run time and accuracy: more components yield more equations to be solved with expected higher run time. Giant petroleum fields discovered recently in Brazil (pre-salt reservoirs) demand compositional simulation due to the fluid characteristics (light oil with the presence of CO2). However, the computational time can be a limitation because of the number of grid blocks that are necessary to represent the reservoir. So, reducing the number of components is an important step for the simulation models. Under this context, this paper presents a study on the influence of different lumping clusters, used to reduce the number of components in a volatile oil, on reservoir simulation. Phase diagram, saturation pressure and simulation results were used for comparison purposes. The best results were obtained for the cases with 14, 9 and 7 pseudo components, which represented correctly the original fluid, reducing till three times the simulation run time, for the same production volumes of oil and gas. (author)

A Thermoelastic Hydraulic Fracture Design Tool for Geothermal Reservoir Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahmad Ghassemi

2003-06-30

Geothermal energy is recovered by circulating water through heat exchange areas within a hot rock mass. Geothermal reservoir rock masses generally consist of igneous and metamorphic rocks that have low matrix permeability. Therefore, cracks and fractures play a significant role in extraction of geothermal energy by providing the major pathways for fluid flow and heat exchange. Thus, knowledge of conditions leading to formation of fractures and fracture networks is of paramount importance. Furthermore, in the absence of natural fractures or adequate connectivity, artificial fracture are created in the reservoir using hydraulic fracturing. At times, the practice aims to create a number of parallel fractures connecting a pair of wells. Multiple fractures are preferred because of the large size necessary when using only a single fracture. Although the basic idea is rather simple, hydraulic fracturing is a complex process involving interactions of high pressure fluid injections with a stressed hot rock mass, mechanical interaction of induced fractures with existing natural fractures, and the spatial and temporal variations of in-situ stress. As a result it is necessary to develop tools that can be used to study these interactions as an integral part of a comprehensive approach to geothermal reservoir development, particularly enhanced geothermal systems. In response to this need we have set out to develop advanced thermo-mechanical models for design of artificial fractures and rock fracture research in geothermal reservoirs. These models consider the significant hydraulic and thermo-mechanical processes and their interaction with the in-situ stress state. Wellbore failure and fracture initiation is studied using a model that fully couples poro-mechanical and thermo-mechanical effects. The fracture propagation model is based on a complex variable and regular displacement discontinuity formulations. In the complex variable approach the displacement discontinuities are

Selenium in Reservoir Sediment from the Republican River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Juracek, Kyle E.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

1998-01-01

Reservoir sediment quality is an important environmental concern because sediment may act as both a sink and a source of water-quality constituents to the overlying water column and biota. Once in the food chain, sediment-derived constituents may pose an even greater concern due to bioaccumulation. An analysis of reservoir bottom sediment can provide historical information on sediment deposition as well as magnitudes and trends in constituents that may be related to changes in human activity in the basin. The assessment described in this fact sheet was initiated in 1997 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), U.S. Department of the Interior, to determine if irrigation activities have affected selenium concentrations in reservoir sediment of the Republican River Basin of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska.

Changes in water chemistry and primary productivity of a reactor cooling reservoir (Par Pond)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tilly, L.J.

1975-01-01

Water chemistry and primary productivity of a reactor cooling reservoir have been studied for 8 years. Initially the primary productivity increased sixfold, and the dissolved solids doubled. The dissolved-solids increase appears to have been caused by additions of makeup water from the Savannah River and by evaporative concentration during the cooling process. As the dissolved-solids concentrations and the conductivity of makeup water leveled off, the primary productivity stabilized. Major cation and anion concentrations generally followed total dissolved solids through the increase and plateau; however, silica concentrations declined steadily during the initial period of increased plankton productivity. Standing crops of net seston and centrifuge seston did not increase during this initial period. The collective data show the effects of thermal input to a cooling reservoir, illustrate the need for limnological studies before reactor siting, and suggest the possibility of using makeup-water additions to power reactor cooling basins as a reservoir management tool

An Analysis Model for Water Cone Subsidence in Bottom Water Drive Reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianjun; Xu, Hui; Wu, Shucheng; Yang, Chao; Kong, lingxiao; Zeng, Baoquan; Xu, Haixia; Qu, Tailai

2017-12-01

Water coning in bottom water drive reservoirs, which will result in earlier water breakthrough, rapid increase in water cut and low recovery level, has drawn tremendous attention in petroleum engineering field. As one simple and effective method to inhibit bottom water coning, shut-in coning control is usually preferred in oilfield to control the water cone and furthermore to enhance economic performance. However, most of the water coning researchers just have been done on investigation of the coning behavior as it grows up, the reported studies for water cone subsidence are very scarce. The goal of this work is to present an analytical model for water cone subsidence to analyze the subsidence of water cone when the well shut in. Based on Dupuit critical oil production rate formula, an analytical model is developed to estimate the initial water cone shape at the point of critical drawdown. Then, with the initial water cone shape equation, we propose an analysis model for water cone subsidence in bottom water reservoir reservoirs. Model analysis and several sensitivity studies are conducted. This work presents accurate and fast analytical model to perform the water cone subsidence in bottom water drive reservoirs. To consider the recent interests in development of bottom drive reservoirs, our approach provides a promising technique for better understanding the subsidence of water cone.

IMPROVING CO2 EFFICIENCY FOR RECOVERING OIL IN HETEROGENEOUS RESERVOIRS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reid B. Grigg

2003-10-31

The second annual report of ''Improving CO{sub 2} Efficiency for Recovery Oil in Heterogeneous Reservoirs'' presents results of laboratory studies with related analytical models for improved oil recovery. All studies have been undertaken with the intention to optimize utilization and extend the practice of CO{sub 2} flooding to a wider range of reservoirs. Many items presented in this report are applicable to other interest areas: e.g. gas injection and production, greenhouse gas sequestration, chemical flooding, reservoir damage, etc. Major areas of studies include reduction of CO{sub 2} mobility to improve conformance, determining and understanding injectivity changes in particular injectivity loses, and modeling process mechanisms determined in the first two areas. Interfacial tension (IFT) between a high-pressure, high-temperature CO{sub 2} and brine/surfactant and foam stability are used to assess and screen surfactant systems. In this work the effects of salinity, pressure, temperature, surfactant concentration, and the presence of oil on IFT and CO{sub 2} foam stability were determined on the surfactant (CD1045{trademark}). Temperature, pressure, and surfactant concentration effected both IFT and foam stability while oil destabilized the foam, but did not destroy it. Calcium lignosulfonate (CLS) can be used as a sacrificial and an enhancing agent. This work indicates that on Berea sandstone CLS concentration, brine salinity, and temperature are dominant affects on both adsorption and desorption and that adsorption is not totally reversible. Additionally, CLS adsorption was tested on five minerals common to oil reservoirs; it was found that CLS concentration, salinity, temperature, and mineral type had significant effects on adsorption. The adsorption density from most to least was: bentonite > kaolinite > dolomite > calcite > silica. This work demonstrates the extent of dissolution and precipitation from co-injection of CO{sub 2} and

Well test mathematical model for fractures network in tight oil reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Diwu, Pengxiang; Liu, Tongjing; Jiang, Baoyi; Wang, Rui; Yang, Peidie; Yang, Jiping; Wang, Zhaoming

2018-02-01

Well test, especially build-up test, has been applied widely in the development of tight oil reservoirs, since it is the only available low cost way to directly quantify flow ability and formation heterogeneity parameters. However, because of the fractures network near wellbore, generated from artificial fracturing linking up natural factures, traditional infinite and finite conductivity fracture models usually result in significantly deviation in field application. In this work, considering the random distribution of natural fractures, physical model of fractures network is proposed, and it shows a composite model feature in the large scale. Consequently, a nonhomogeneous composite mathematical model is established with threshold pressure gradient. To solve this model semi-analytically, we proposed a solution approach including Laplace transform and virtual argument Bessel function, and this method is verified by comparing with existing analytical solution. The matching data of typical type curves generated from semi-analytical solution indicates that the proposed physical and mathematical model can describe the type curves characteristic in typical tight oil reservoirs, which have up warping in late-term rather than parallel lines with slope 1/2 or 1/4. It means the composite model could be used into pressure interpretation of artificial fracturing wells in tight oil reservoir.

Isotopic insights into microbial sulfur cycling in oil reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher G Hubbard

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Microbial sulfate reduction in oil reservoirs (biosouring is often associated with secondary oil production where seawater containing high sulfate concentrations (~28 mM is injected into a reservoir to maintain pressure and displace oil. The sulfide generated from biosouring can cause corrosion of infrastructure, health exposure risks, and higher production costs. Isotope monitoring is a promising approach for understanding microbial sulfur cycling in reservoirs, enabling early detection of biosouring, and understanding the impact of souring. Microbial sulfate reduction is known to result in large shifts in the sulfur and oxygen isotope compositions of the residual sulfate, which can be distinguished from other processes that may be occurring in oil reservoirs, such as precipitation of sulfate and sulfide minerals. Key to the success of this method is using the appropriate isotopic fractionation factors for the conditions and processes being monitored. For a set of batch incubation experiments using a mixed microbial culture with crude oil as the electron donor, we measured a sulfur fractionation factor for sulfate reduction of -30‰. We have incorporated this result into a simplified 1D reservoir reactive transport model to highlight how isotopes can help discriminate between biotic and abiotic processes affecting sulfate and sulfide concentrations. Modeling results suggest that monitoring sulfate isotopes can provide an early indication of souring for reservoirs with reactive iron minerals that can remove the produced sulfide, especially when sulfate reduction occurs in the mixing zone between formation waters containing elevated concentrations of volatile fatty acids and injection water containing elevated sulfate. In addition, we examine the role of reservoir thermal, geochemical, hydrological, operational and microbiological conditions in determining microbial souring dynamics and hence the anticipated isotopic signatures.

Impact of real-time measurements for data assimilation in reservoir simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulze-Riegert, R; Krosche, M [Scandpower Petroleum Technology GmbH, Hamburg (Germany); Pajonk, O [TU Braunschweig (Germany). Inst. fuer Wissenschaftliches Rechnen; Myrland, T [Morges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Univ. (NTNU), Trondheim (Germany)

2008-10-23

This paper gives an overview on the conceptual background of data assimilation techniques. The framework of sequential data assimilation as described for the ensemble Kalman filter implementation allows a continuous integration of new measurement data. The initial diversity of ensemble members will be critical for the assimilation process and the ability to successfully assimilate measurement data. At the same time the initial ensemble will impact the propagation of uncertainties with crucial consequences for production forecasts. Data assimilation techniques have complimentary features compared to other optimization techniques built on selection or regression schemes. Specifically, EnKF is applicable to real field cases and defines an important perspective for facilitating continuous reservoir simulation model updates in a reservoir life cycle. (orig.)

EXPLOITATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF RESERVOIR PERFORMANCE IN HUNTON FORMATION, OKLAHOMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohan Kelkar

2002-03-31

The West Carney Field in Lincoln County, Oklahoma is one of few newly discovered oil fields in Oklahoma. Although profitable, the field exhibits several unusual characteristics. These include decreasing water-oil ratios, decreasing gas-oil ratios, decreasing bottomhole pressures during shut-ins in some wells, and transient behavior for water production in many wells. This report explains the unusual characteristics of West Carney Field based on detailed geological and engineering analyses. We propose a geological history that explains the presence of mobile water and oil in the reservoir. The combination of matrix and fractures in the reservoir explains the reservoir's flow behavior. We confirm our hypothesis by matching observed performance with a simulated model and develop procedures for correlating core data to log data so that the analysis can be extended to other, similar fields where the core coverage may be limited.

Effect of reservoir heterogeneity on air injection performance in a light oil reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hu Jia

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Air injection is a good option to development light oil reservoir. As well-known that, reservoir heterogeneity has great effect for various EOR processes. This also applies to air injection. However, oil recovery mechanisms and physical processes for air injection in heterogeneous reservoir with dip angle are still not well understood. The reported setting of reservoir heterogeneous for physical model or simulation model of air injection only simply uses different-layer permeability of porous media. In practice, reservoir heterogeneity follows the principle of geostatistics. How much of contrast in permeability actually challenges the air injection in light oil reservoir? This should be investigated by using layered porous medial settings of the classical Dykstra-Parsons style. Unfortunately, there has been no work addressing this issue for air injection in light oil reservoir. In this paper, Reservoir heterogeneity is quantified based on the use of different reservoir permeability distribution according to classical Dykstra-Parsons coefficients method. The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of reservoir heterogeneity on physical process and production performance of air injection in light oil reservoir through numerical reservoir simulation approach. The basic model is calibrated based on previous study. Total eleven pseudo compounders are included in this model and ten complexity of reactions are proposed to achieve the reaction scheme. Results show that oil recovery factor is decreased with the increasing of reservoir heterogeneity both for air and N2 injection from updip location, which is against the working behavior of air injection from updip location. Reservoir heterogeneity sometimes can act as positive effect to improve sweep efficiency as well as enhance production performance for air injection. High O2 content air injection can benefit oil recovery factor, also lead to early O2 breakthrough in heterogeneous reservoir. Well

Preliminary formation analysis for compressed air energy storage in depleted natural gas reservoirs :

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gardner, William Payton

2013-06-01

The purpose of this study is to develop an engineering and operational understanding of CAES performance for a depleted natural gas reservoir by evaluation of relative permeability effects of air, water and natural gas in depleted natural gas reservoirs as a reservoir is initially depleted, an air bubble is created, and as air is initially cycled. The composition of produced gases will be evaluated as the three phase flow of methane, nitrogen and brine are modeled. The effects of a methane gas phase on the relative permeability of air in a formation are investigated and the composition of the produced fluid, which consists primarily of the amount of natural gas in the produced air are determined. Simulations of compressed air energy storage (CAES) in depleted natural gas reservoirs were carried out to assess the effect of formation permeability on the design of a simple CAES system. The injection of N2 (as a proxy to air), and the extraction of the resulting gas mixture in a depleted natural gas reservoir were modeled using the TOUGH2 reservoir simulator with the EOS7c equation of state. The optimal borehole spacing was determined as a function of the formation scale intrinsic permeability. Natural gas reservoir results are similar to those for an aquifer. Borehole spacing is dependent upon the intrinsic permeability of the formation. Higher permeability allows increased injection and extraction rates which is equivalent to more power per borehole for a given screen length. The number of boreholes per 100 MW for a given intrinsic permeability in a depleted natural gas reservoir is essentially identical to that determined for a simple aquifer of identical properties. During bubble formation methane is displaced and a sharp N2methane boundary is formed with an almost pure N2 gas phase in the bubble near the borehole. During cycling mixing of methane and air occurs along the boundary as the air bubble boundary moves. The extracted gas mixture changes as a

Induced migration of fines during waterflooding in communicating layer-cake reservoirs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yuan, Hao; Shapiro, Alexander

2011-01-01

to more crossflow between layers and lowers the water sweep efficiency. However, this ratio facilitates the fluid diversion caused by the fines migration, leading to a more efficient enhanced oil recovery. The positive contribution from the mobility ratio to the increased oil recovery due to fines...... give rise to reduction of the permeability in water swept zones, which subsequently leads to the diversion of water flow from the initially more permeable layers to the less permeable ones. As a result, the displacement is more even, the water cut at the producer is decreased, and the oil recovery...... is increased. On the other hand, more energy for the pressure drop is required to maintain a constant flow rate. These effects are studied within a new upscaling model developed previously (Zhang et al., 2011). In a communicating layer cake reservoir, higher end-point mobility ratio (water to oil) leads...

Geophysical and geological investigations of subsurface reservoirs : case studies of Spitsbergen, Norway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baelum, Karoline

2011-07-01

The thesis gives a description of the subsurface and outcrop geology at a number of localities on Svalbard through a selection of various geophysical and geological methods. The localities represent a series of geological settings of varying scale, from near surface paleokarst and glacial environments to large scale geological features such as fault zones, grabens and dolerite intrusions. The geophysical and geological methods deployed likewise represent both detailed small scale investigations such as Lidar, radar and geoelectric investigations on and near the surface, and seismic investigations covering larger areas to a depth of several kilometers. The overall aim for all the studies has been to better understand reservoir and cap rock/ice systems in a barren arctic desert characterized by a frozen ground that challenges common geophysical methods. The investigations undertaken in connection with this thesis cover several areas The first part addresses the Billefjorden fault zone (BFZ) with its eastern hanging wall classic rift-basin. This fault zone can be traced for more than 200 km as a lineament that runs almost the entire length of Spitsbergen, from Wijdefjorden in the north to Storfjorden in the south. The seismic data along with surface observations and Lidar scans illustrate the long and complicated history of the BFZ and associated basin, from the initial formation via linkage of reverse faults in the Devonian, through Carboniferous reactivation as a normal fault with adjacent rift-basin in an extensional tectonic regime, to finally Tertiary contraction seen as fault reactivation and basin inversion in connection with the formation of the west-coast fold and thrust-belt. Especially the development of the Carboniferous rift-basin is of interest. An integrated study by seismic and georadar mapping, and Lidar data interpretation combined with outcrop analysis of faults and sedimentary succession, have shed new, detailed information on the good sandstone

Computer Modeling of the Displacement Behavior of Carbon Dioxide in Undersaturated Oil Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ju Binshan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The injection of CO2 into oil reservoirs is performed not only to improve oil recovery but also to store CO2 captured from fuel combustion. The objective of this work is to develop a numerical simulator to predict quantitatively supercritical CO2 flooding behaviors for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR. A non-isothermal compositional flow mathematical model is developed. The phase transition diagram is designed according to the Minimum Miscibility Pressure (MMP and CO2 maximum solubility in oil phase. The convection and diffusion of CO2 mixtures in multiphase fluids in reservoirs, mass transfer between CO2 and crude and phase partitioning are considered. The governing equations are discretized by applying a fully implicit finite difference technique. Newton-Raphson iterative technique was used to solve the nonlinear equation systems and a simulator was developed. The performances of CO2 immiscible and miscible flooding in oil reservoirs are predicted by the new simulator. The distribution of pressure and temperature, phase saturations, mole fraction of each component in each phase, formation damage caused by asphaltene precipitation and the improved oil recovery are predicted by the simulator. Experimental data validate the developed simulator by comparison with simulation results. The applications of the simulator in prediction of CO2 flooding in oil reservoirs indicate that the simulator is robust for predicting CO2 flooding performance.

Direct hydrocarbon exploration and gas reservoir development technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwak, Young Hoon; Oh, Jae Ho; Jeong, Tae Jin [Korea Inst. of Geology Mining and Materials, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); and others

1995-12-01

In order to enhance the capability of petroleum exploration and development techniques, three year project (1994 - 1997) was initiated on the research of direct hydrocarbon exploration and gas reservoir development. This project consists of four sub-projects. (1) Oil(Gas) - source rock correlation technique: The overview of bio-marker parameters which are applicable to hydrocarbon exploration has been illustrated. Experimental analysis of saturated hydrocarbon and bio-markers of the Pohang E and F core samples has been carried out. (2) Study on surface geochemistry and microbiology for hydrocarbon exploration: the test results of the experimental device for extraction of dissolved gases from water show that the device can be utilized for the gas geochemistry of water. (3) Development of gas and gas condensate reservoirs: There are two types of reservoir characterization. For the reservoir formation characterization, calculation of conditional simulation was compared with that of unconditional simulation. In the reservoir fluid characterization, phase behavior calculations revealed that the component grouping is more important than the increase of number of components. (4) Numerical modeling of seismic wave propagation and full waveform inversion: Three individual sections are presented. The first one is devoted to the inversion theory in general sense. The second and the third sections deal with the frequency domain pseudo waveform inversion of seismic reflection data and refraction data respectively. (author). 180 refs., 91 figs., 60 tabs.

Petrofacies analysis - the petrophysical tool for geologic/engineering reservoir characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watney, W.L.; Guy, W.J.; Gerlach, P.M. [Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, KS (United States)] [and others

1997-08-01

Petrofacies analysis is defined as the characterization and classification of pore types and fluid saturations as revealed by petrophysical measures of a reservoir. The word {open_quotes}petrofacies{close_quotes} makes an explicit link between petroleum engineers concerns with pore characteristics as arbiters of production performance, and the facies paradigm of geologists as a methodology for genetic understanding and prediction. In petrofacies analysis, the porosity and resistivity axes of the classical Pickett plot are used to map water saturation, bulk volume water, and estimated permeability, as well as capillary pressure information, where it is available. When data points are connected in order of depth within a reservoir, the characteristic patterns reflect reservoir rock character and its interplay with the hydrocarbon column. A third variable can be presented at each point on the crossplot by assigning a color scale that is based on other well logs, often gamma ray or photoelectric effect, or other derived variables. Contrasts between reservoir pore types and fluid saturations will be reflected in changing patterns on the crossplot and can help discriminate and characterize reservoir heterogeneity. Many hundreds of analyses of well logs facilitated by spreadsheet and object-oriented programming have provided the means to distinguish patterns typical of certain complex pore types for sandstones and carbonate reservoirs, occurrences of irreducible water saturation, and presence of transition zones. The result has been an improved means to evaluate potential production such as bypassed pay behind pipe and in old exploration holes, or to assess zonation and continuity of the reservoir. Petrofacies analysis is applied in this example to distinguishing flow units including discrimination of pore type as assessment of reservoir conformance and continuity. The analysis is facilitated through the use of color cross sections and cluster analysis.

Imaging CO2 reservoirs using muons borehole detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Bonneville, A.; Bonal, N.; Lintereur, A.; Mellors, R. J.; Paulsson, B. N. P.; Rowe, C. A.; Varner, G. S.; Kouzes, R.; Flygare, J.; Mostafanezhad, I.; Yamaoka, J. A. K.; Guardincerri, E.; Chapline, G.

2016-12-01

Monitoring of the post-injection fate of CO2 in subsurface reservoirs is of utmost importance. Generally, monitoring options are active methods, such as 4D seismic reflection or pressure measurements in monitoring wells. We present a method of 4D density tomography of subsurface CO2 reservoirs using cosmic-ray muon detectors deployed in a borehole. Although muon flux rapidly decreases with depth, preliminary analyses indicate that the muon technique is sufficiently sensitive to effectively map density variations caused by fluid displacement at depths consistent with proposed CO2reservoirs. The intensity of the muon flux is, to first order, inversely proportional to the density times the path length, with resolution increasing with measurement time. The primary technical challenge preventing deployment of this technology in subsurface locations is the lack of miniaturized muon-tracking detectors both capable of fitting in standard boreholes and that will be able to resist the harsh underground conditions (temperature, pressure, corrosion) for long periods of time. Such a detector with these capabilities has been developed through a collaboration supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. A prototype has been tested in underground laboratories during 2016. In particular, we will present results from a series of tests performed in a tunnel comparing efficiencies, and angular and position resolution to measurements collected at the same locations by large instruments developed by Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories. We will also present the results of simulations of muon detection for various CO2 reservoir situations and muon detector configurations. Finally, to improve imaging of 3D subsurface structures, a combination of seismic data, gravity data, and muons can be used. Because seismic waves, gravity anomalies, and muons are all sensitive to density, the combination of two or three of these measurements promises to be a powerful way to improve spatial

Seismic modeling of acid-gas injection in a deep saline reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ursenbach, C.P.; Lawton, D.C. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Dept. of Geoscience, Consortium for Research in Elastic Wave Exploration Seismology

2008-07-01

Carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S) are common byproducts of the energy industry. As such, remediation studies are underway to determine the feasibility of sequestering these byproducts in subsurface reservoirs, including deep saline reservoirs. Acid gas injection at smaller gas wells holds promise. However, in order for such injection programs to work, the progress of the injection plume must be tracked. A modeling study of fluid substitution was carried out to gain insight into the ability of seismic monitoring to distinguish pre- and post-injection states of the reservoir medium. The purpose of this study was to carry out fluid substitution calculations for the modeling of an injection process. A methodology that may be applied or adapted to a variety of acid-gas injection scenarios was also developed. The general approach involved determining acoustic properties at reservoir temperature and pressure of relevant fluids; obtaining elastic properties of the reservoir rock for some reference saturated state, and the elastic properties of the mineral comprising it; and, determining the change in reservoir elastic properties due to fluid substitution via Gassmann's equation. Water, brine and non-aqueous acid gas were the 3 fluids of interest in this case. The feasibility of monitoring was judged by the sensitivity of travel times and reflection coefficients to fluid substitution. 4 refs., 2 figs.

Geometrical and hydrogeological impact on the behaviour of deep-seated rock slides during reservoir impoundment

Science.gov (United States)

Lechner, Heidrun; Zangerl, Christian

2015-04-01

Given that there are still uncertainties regarding the deformation and failure mechanisms of deep-seated rock slides this study concentrates on key factors that influence the behaviour of rock slides in the surrounding of reservoirs. The focus is placed on the slope geometry, hydrogeology and kinematics. Based on numerous generic rock slide models the impacts of the (i) rock slide geometry, (ii) reservoir impoundment and level fluctuations, (iii) seepage and buoyancy forces and (iv) hydraulic conductivity of the rock slide mass and the basal shear zone are examined using limit equilibrium approaches. The geometry of many deep-seated rock slides in metamorphic rocks is often influenced by geological structures, e.g. fault zones, joints, foliation, bedding planes and others. With downslope displacement the rock slide undergoes a change in shape. Several observed rock slides in an advanced stage show a convex, bulge-like topography at the foot of the slope and a concave topography in the middle to upper part. Especially, the situation of the slope toe plays an important role for stability. A potentially critical situation can result from a partially submerged flat slope toe because the uplift due to water pressure destabilizes the rock slide. Furthermore, it is essential if the basal shear zone daylights at the foot of the slope or encounters alluvial or glacial deposits at the bottom of the valley, the latter having a buttressing effect. In this study generic rock slide models with a shear zone outcropping at the slope toe are established and systematically analysed using limit equilibrium calculations. Two different kinematic types are modelled: (i) a translational or planar and (ii) a rotational movement behaviour. Questions concerning the impact of buoyancy and pore pressure forces that develop during first time impoundment are of key interest. Given that an adverse effect on the rock slide stability is expected due to reservoir impoundment the extent of

Microbial conversion of higher hydrocarbons to methane in oil and coal reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kruger, Martin; Beckmaann, Sabrina; Siegert, Michael; Grundger, Friederike; Richnow, Hans [Geomicrobiology Group, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (Germany)

2011-07-01

In recent years, oil production has increased enormously but almost half of the oil now remaining is heavy/biodegraded and cannot be put into production. There is therefore a need for new technology and for diversification of energy sources. This paper discusses the microbial conversion of higher hydrocarbons to methane in oil and coal reservoirs. The objective of the study is to identify microbial and geochemical controls on methanogenesis in reservoirs. A graph shows the utilization of methane for various purposes in Germany from 1998 to 2007. A degradation process to convert coal to methane is shown using a flow chart. The process for converting oil to methane is also given. Controlling factors include elements such as Fe, nitrogen and sulfur. Atmospheric temperature and reservoir pressure and temperature also play an important role. From the study it can be concluded that isotopes of methane provide exploration tools for reservoir selection and alkanes and aromatic compounds provide enrichment cultures.

Time-dependent inversion of surface subsidence due to dynamic reservoir compaction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Muntendam-Bos, A.G.; Kroon, I.C.; Fokker, P.A.

2008-01-01

We introduce a novel, time-dependent inversion scheme for resolving temporal reservoir pressure drop from surface subsidence observations (from leveling or GPS data, InSAR, tiltmeter monitoring) in a single procedure. The theory is able to accommodate both the absence of surface subsidence estimates

Numerical simulation of the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing of tight/shale gas reservoirs on near-surface groundwater: Background, base cases, shallow reservoirs, short-term gas, and water transport

Science.gov (United States)

Reagan, Matthew T; Moridis, George J; Keen, Noel D; Johnson, Jeffrey N

2015-01-01

Hydrocarbon production from unconventional resources and the use of reservoir stimulation techniques, such as hydraulic fracturing, has grown explosively over the last decade. However, concerns have arisen that reservoir stimulation creates significant environmental threats through the creation of permeable pathways connecting the stimulated reservoir with shallower freshwater aquifers, thus resulting in the contamination of potable groundwater by escaping hydrocarbons or other reservoir fluids. This study investigates, by numerical simulation, gas and water transport between a shallow tight-gas reservoir and a shallower overlying freshwater aquifer following hydraulic fracturing operations, if such a connecting pathway has been created. We focus on two general failure scenarios: (1) communication between the reservoir and aquifer via a connecting fracture or fault and (2) communication via a deteriorated, preexisting nearby well. We conclude that the key factors driving short-term transport of gas include high permeability for the connecting pathway and the overall volume of the connecting feature. Production from the reservoir is likely to mitigate release through reduction of available free gas and lowering of reservoir pressure, and not producing may increase the potential for release. We also find that hydrostatic tight-gas reservoirs are unlikely to act as a continuing source of migrating gas, as gas contained within the newly formed hydraulic fracture is the primary source for potential contamination. Such incidents of gas escape are likely to be limited in duration and scope for hydrostatic reservoirs. Reliable field and laboratory data must be acquired to constrain the factors and determine the likelihood of these outcomes. Key Points: Short-term leakage fractured reservoirs requires high-permeability pathways Production strategy affects the likelihood and magnitude of gas release Gas release is likely short-term, without additional driving forces PMID

Building Adjustable Pre-storm Reservoir Flood-control Release Rules

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shun-Nien; Chang, Li-Chiu; Chang, Fi-John; Hsieh, Cheng-Daw

2017-04-01

Typhoons hit Taiwan several times every year, which could cause serious flood disasters. Because mountainous terrains and steep landforms can rapidly accelerate the speed of flood flow during typhoon events, rivers cannot be a stable source of water supply. Reservoirs become the most effective floodwater storage facilities for alleviating flood damages in Taiwan. The pre-storm flood-control release can significantly increase reservoir storage capacity available to store floodwaters for reducing downstream flood damage, while the uncertainties of total forecasted rainfalls are very high in different stages of an oncoming typhoon, which may cause the risk of water shortage in the future. This study proposes adjustable pre-storm reservoir flood-control release rules in three designed operating stages with various hydrological conditions in the Feitsui Reservoir, a pivot reservoir for water supply to Taipei metropolitan in Taiwan, not only to reduce the risk of reservoir flood control and downstream flooding but also to consider water supply. The three operating stages before an oncoming typhoon are defined upon the timings when: (1) typhoon news is issued (3-7days before typhoon hit); (2) the sea warning is issued (2-4 days before typhoon hit); and (3) the land warning is issued (1-2 days before typhoon hit). We simulate 95 historical typhoon events with 3000 initial water levels and build some pre-storm flood-control release rules to adjust the amount of pre-release based on the total forecasted rainfalls at different operating stages. A great number of simulations (68.4 millions) are conducted to extract their major consequences and then build the adjustable pre-storm reservoir flood-control release rules. Accordingly, given a total forecasted rainfall and a water level, reservoir decision makers can easily identify the corresponding rule to tell the amount of pre-release in any stage. The results show that the proposed adjustable pre-release rules can effectively

Advances in coalbed methane reservoirs using integrated reservoir characterization and hydraulic fracturing in Karaganda coal basin, Kazakhstan

Science.gov (United States)

Ivakhnenko, Aleksandr; Aimukhan, Adina; Kenshimova, Aida; Mullagaliyev, Fandus; Akbarov, Erlan; Mullagaliyeva, Lylia; Kabirova, Svetlana; Almukhametov, Azamat

2017-04-01

Coalbed methane from Karaganda coal basin is considered to be an unconventional source of energy for the Central and Eastern parts of Kazakhstan. These regions are situated far away from the main traditional sources of oil and gas related to Precaspian petroleum basin. Coalbed methane fields in Karaganda coal basin are characterized by geological and structural complexity. Majority of production zones were characterized by high methane content and extremely low coal permeability. The coal reservoirs also contained a considerable natural system of primary, secondary, and tertiary fractures that were usually capable to accommodate passing fluid during hydraulic fracturing process. However, after closing was often observed coal formation damage including the loss of fluids, migration of fines and higher pressures required to treat formation than were expected. Unusual or less expected reservoir characteristics and values of properties of the coal reservoir might be the cause of the unusual occurred patterns in obtained fracturing, such as lithological peculiarities, rock mechanical properties and previous natural fracture systems in the coals. Based on these properties we found that during the drilling and fracturing of the coal-induced fractures have great sensitivity to complex reservoir lithology and stress profiles, as well as changes of those stresses. In order to have a successful program of hydraulic fracturing and avoid unnecessary fracturing anomalies we applied integrated reservoir characterization to monitor key parameters. In addition to logging data, core sample analysis was applied for coalbed methane reservoirs to observe dependence tiny lithological variations through the magnetic susceptibility values and their relation to permeability together with expected principal stress. The values of magnetic susceptibility were measured by the core logging sensor, which is equipped with the probe that provides volume magnetic susceptibility parameters

Amplitude various angles (AVA) phenomena in thin layer reservoir: Case study of various reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nurhandoko, Bagus Endar B., E-mail: bagusnur@bdg.centrin.net.id, E-mail: bagusnur@rock-fluid.com [Wave Inversion and Subsurface Fluid Imaging Research Laboratory (WISFIR), Basic Science Center A 4" t" hfloor, Physics Dept., FMIPA, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia); Rock Fluid Imaging Lab., Bandung (Indonesia); Susilowati, E-mail: bagusnur@bdg.centrin.net.id, E-mail: bagusnur@rock-fluid.com [Rock Fluid Imaging Lab., Bandung (Indonesia)

2015-04-16

Amplitude various offset is widely used in petroleum exploration as well as in petroleum development field. Generally, phenomenon of amplitude in various angles assumes reservoir’s layer is quite thick. It also means that the wave is assumed as a very high frequency. But, in natural condition, the seismic wave is band limited and has quite low frequency. Therefore, topic about amplitude various angles in thin layer reservoir as well as low frequency assumption is important to be considered. Thin layer reservoir means the thickness of reservoir is about or less than quarter of wavelength. In this paper, I studied about the reflection phenomena in elastic wave which considering interference from thin layer reservoir and transmission wave. I applied Zoeppritz equation for modeling reflected wave of top reservoir, reflected wave of bottom reservoir, and also transmission elastic wave of reservoir. Results show that the phenomena of AVA in thin layer reservoir are frequency dependent. Thin layer reservoir causes interference between reflected wave of top reservoir and reflected wave of bottom reservoir. These phenomena are frequently neglected, however, in real practices. Even though, the impact of inattention in interference phenomena caused by thin layer in AVA may cause inaccurate reservoir characterization. The relation between classes of AVA reservoir and reservoir’s character are different when effect of ones in thin reservoir and ones in thick reservoir are compared. In this paper, I present some AVA phenomena including its cross plot in various thin reservoir types based on some rock physics data of Indonesia.

Amplitude various angles (AVA) phenomena in thin layer reservoir: Case study of various reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

thfloor, Physics Dept., FMIPA, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia); Rock Fluid Imaging Lab., Bandung (Indonesia))" data-affiliation=" (Wave Inversion and Subsurface Fluid Imaging Research Laboratory (WISFIR), Basic Science Center A 4thfloor, Physics Dept., FMIPA, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia); Rock Fluid Imaging Lab., Bandung (Indonesia))" >Nurhandoko, Bagus Endar B.; Susilowati

2015-01-01

Amplitude various offset is widely used in petroleum exploration as well as in petroleum development field. Generally, phenomenon of amplitude in various angles assumes reservoir’s layer is quite thick. It also means that the wave is assumed as a very high frequency. But, in natural condition, the seismic wave is band limited and has quite low frequency. Therefore, topic about amplitude various angles in thin layer reservoir as well as low frequency assumption is important to be considered. Thin layer reservoir means the thickness of reservoir is about or less than quarter of wavelength. In this paper, I studied about the reflection phenomena in elastic wave which considering interference from thin layer reservoir and transmission wave. I applied Zoeppritz equation for modeling reflected wave of top reservoir, reflected wave of bottom reservoir, and also transmission elastic wave of reservoir. Results show that the phenomena of AVA in thin layer reservoir are frequency dependent. Thin layer reservoir causes interference between reflected wave of top reservoir and reflected wave of bottom reservoir. These phenomena are frequently neglected, however, in real practices. Even though, the impact of inattention in interference phenomena caused by thin layer in AVA may cause inaccurate reservoir characterization. The relation between classes of AVA reservoir and reservoir’s character are different when effect of ones in thin reservoir and ones in thick reservoir are compared. In this paper, I present some AVA phenomena including its cross plot in various thin reservoir types based on some rock physics data of Indonesia

Reducing uncertainty in geostatistical description with well testing pressure data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reynolds, A.C.; He, Nanqun [Univ. of Tulsa, OK (United States); Oliver, D.S. [Chevron Petroleum Technology Company, La Habra, CA (United States)

1997-08-01

Geostatistics has proven to be an effective tool for generating realizations of reservoir properties conditioned to static data, e.g., core and log data and geologic knowledge. Due to the lack of closely spaced data in the lateral directions, there will be significant variability in reservoir descriptions generated by geostatistical simulation, i.e., significant uncertainty in the reservoir descriptions. In past work, we have presented procedures based on inverse problem theory for generating reservoir descriptions (rock property fields) conditioned to pressure data and geostatistical information represented as prior means for log-permeability and porosity and variograms. Although we have shown that the incorporation of pressure data reduces the uncertainty below the level contained in the geostatistical model based only on static information (the prior model), our previous results assumed did not explicitly account for uncertainties in the prior means and the parameters defining the variogram model. In this work, we investigate how pressure data can help detect errors in the prior means. If errors in the prior means are large and are not taken into account, realizations conditioned to pressure data represent incorrect samples of the a posteriori probability density function for the rock property fields, whereas, if the uncertainty in the prior mean is incorporated properly into the model, one obtains realistic realizations of the rock property fields.

Using Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensing Systems to Estimate Inflow and Reservoir Properties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Farshbaf Zinati, F.

2014-01-01

Recent developments in the deployment of distributed fiber-optic sensing systems in horizontal wells carry the promise to lead to a new, cheap and reliable way of monitoring production and reservoir performance. Practical applicability of distributed pressure sensing for quantitative inflow

The Iġnik Sikumi Field Experiment, Alaska North Slope: Design, operations, and implications for CO2−CH4 exchange in gas hydrate reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Boswell, Ray; Schoderbek, David; Collett, Timothy S.; Ohtsuki, Satoshi; White, Mark; Anderson, Brian J.

2017-01-01

The Iġnik Sikumi Gas Hydrate Exchange Field Experiment was conducted by ConocoPhillips in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, and the U.S. Geological Survey within the Prudhoe Bay Unit on the Alaska North Slope during 2011 and 2012. The primary goals of the program were to (1) determine the feasibility of gas injection into hydrate-bearing sand reservoirs and (2) observe reservoir response upon subsequent flowback in order to assess the potential for CO2 exchange for CH4 in naturally occurring gas hydrate reservoirs. Initial modeling determined that no feasible means of injection of pure CO2 was likely, given the presence of free water in the reservoir. Laboratory and numerical modeling studies indicated that the injection of a mixture of CO2 and N2 offered the best potential for gas injection and exchange. The test featured the following primary operational phases: (1) injection of a gaseous phase mixture of CO2, N2, and chemical tracers; (2) flowback conducted at downhole pressures above the stability threshold for native CH4 hydrate; and (3) an extended (30-days) flowback at pressures near, and then below, the stability threshold of native CH4 hydrate. The test findings indicate that the formation of a range of mixed-gas hydrates resulted in a net exchange of CO2 for CH4 in the reservoir, although the complexity of the subsurface environment renders the nature, extent, and efficiency of the exchange reaction uncertain. The next steps in the evaluation of exchange technology should feature multiple well applications; however, such field test programs will require extensive preparatory experimental and numerical modeling studies and will likely be a secondary priority to further field testing of production through depressurization. Additional insights gained from the field program include the following: (1) gas hydrate destabilization is self-limiting, dispelling any notion of the potential for

Field demonstration of an active reservoir pressure management through fluid injection and displaced fluid extractions at the Rock Springs Uplift, a priority geologic CO₂ storage site for Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiao, Zunsheng [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)

2017-04-05

This report provides the results from the project entitled Field Demonstration of Reservoir Pressure Management through Fluid Injection and Displaced Fluid Extraction at the Rock Springs Uplift, a Priority Geologic CO2 Storage Site for Wyoming (DE-FE0026159 for both original performance period (September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016) and no-cost extension (September 1, 2016 to January 6, 2017)).

Carbon dioxide sequestration induced mineral precipitation healing of fractured reservoir seals

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, N.; Crawshaw, J.

2017-12-01

Initial experiments and the thermodynaic basis for carbon dioxide sequestration induced mineral precipitation healing of fractures through reservoir seals will be presented. The basis of this work is the potential exists for the dissolution of reservoir host rock formation carbonate minerals in the acidified injection front of CO2 during sequestration or EOR. This enriched brine and the bulk CO2 phase will then flow through the reservoir until contact with the reservoir seal. At this point any fractures present in the reservoir seal will be the preferential flow path for the bulk CO2 phase as well as the acidified brine front. These fractures would currently be filled with non-acidified brine saturated in seal formation brine. When the acidifeid brine from the host formation and the cap rock brine mix there is the potential for minerals to fall out of solution, and for these precipitated minerals to decrease or entirely cut off the fluid flow through the fractures present in a reservoir seal. Initial equilibrium simulations performed using the PHREEQC1 database drived from the PHREEQE2 database are used to show the favorable conditions under which this mineral precipitation can occurs. Bench scale fluid mixing experiments were then performed to determine the kinetics of the mineral precipitation process, and determine the progress of future experiemnts involving fluid flow within fractured anhydrite reservoir seal samples. 1Parkhurst, D.L., and Appelo, C.A.J., 2013, Description of input and examples for PHREEQC version 3—A computer program for speciation, batch-reaction, one-dimensional transport, and inverse geochemical calculations: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 6, chap. A43, 497 p., available only at https://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/06/a43/. 2Parkhurst, David L., Donald C. Thorstenson, and L. Niel Plummer. PHREEQE: a computer program for geochemical calculations. No. 80-96. US Geological Survey, Water Resources Division,, 1980.

Reservoir creep and induced seismicity: inferences from geomechanical modeling of gas depletion in the Groningen field

Science.gov (United States)

van Wees, Jan-Diederik; Osinga, Sander; Van Thienen-Visser, Karin; Fokker, Peter A.

2018-03-01

The Groningen gas field in the Netherlands experienced an immediate reduction in seismic events in the year following a massive cut in production. This reduction is inconsistent with existing models of seismicity predictions adopting compaction strains as proxy, since reservoir creep would then result in a more gradual reduction of seismic events after a production stop. We argue that the discontinuity in seismic response relates to a physical discontinuity in stress loading rate on faults upon the arrest of pressure change. The stresses originate from a combination of the direct poroelastic effect through the pressure changes and the delayed effect of ongoing compaction after cessation of reservoir production. Both mechanisms need to be taken into account. To this end, we employed finite-element models in a workflow that couples Kelvin-Chain reservoir creep with a semi-analytical approach for the solution of slip and seismic moment from the predicted stress change. For ratios of final creep and elastic compaction up to 5, the model predicts that the cumulative seismic moment evolution after a production stop is subject to a very moderate increase, 2-10 times less than the values predicted by the alternative approaches using reservoir compaction strain as proxy. This is in agreement with the low seismicity in the central area of the Groningen field immediately after reduction in production. The geomechanical model findings support scope for mitigating induced seismicity through adjusting rates of pressure change by cutting down production.

Effects of initiating anaerobic digestion of layer-hen poultry dung at sub-atmospheric pressure

OpenAIRE

Ngumah, Chima C.; Ogbulie, Jude N.; Orji, Justina C.; Amadi, Ekperechi S.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the effects of initiating anaerobic digestion (AD) of dry layer-hen poultry dung at the sub-atmospheric pressure of -30 cmHg on biodegradation, biogasification, and biomethanation. The setup was performed as a batch process at an average ambient temperature of 29±2 ºC and a retention time of 15 days. Comparisons were made with two other experiments which were both begun at ambient atmospheric pressure; one was inoculated with digestate from a previous layer-hen dung AD...

Flow characteristic of Hijiori HDR reservoir from circulation test in 1991; Koon tantai Hijiori jikkenjo ni okeru senbu choryuso shiken (1991 nendo) kekka to ryudo kaiseki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shiga, T; Hyodo, M; Shinohara, N; Takasugi, S [Geothermal Energy Research and Development Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-05-01

This paper reports one example of flow analyses on a circulation test carried out in fiscal 1991 at the Hijiori hot dry rock experimental field (Yamagata Prefecture). A fluid circulation model was proposed to simulate an HDR circulation system for a shallow reservoir (at a depth of about 1800 m) demonstrated in the circulation test by using an electric circuit network (which expresses continuity impedance in resistance and fluid storage in capacitance). Storage capacity of the reservoir was estimated by deriving time constant of the system from data of time-based change in reservoir pressure associated with transition phenomena during the circulation test. The storage capacity was estimated separately by dividing change of storage in the reservoir by change in the reservoir pressure. To derive the storage in the reservoir, a method to calculate non-recovered flows in the circulation test was utilized. The results of evaluating the reservoir capacity in the shallow reservoir using the above two independent methods were found substantially consistent. 3 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.

Sulfate-Reducing Prokaryotes from North Sea Oil reservoirs; organisms, distribution and origin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beeder, Janiche

1997-12-31

During oil production in the North Sea, anaerobic seawater is pumped in which stimulates the growth of sulphate-reducing prokaryotes that produce hydrogen sulphide. This sulphide causes major health hazards, economical and operational problems. As told in this thesis, several strains of sulphate reducers have been isolated from North Sea oil field waters. Antibodies have been produced against these strains and used to investigate the distribution of sulphate reducers in a North Sea oil reservoir. The result showed a high diversity among sulphate reducers, with different strains belonging to different parts of the reservoir. Some of these strains have been further characterized. The physiological and phylogenetic characterization showed that strain 7324 was an archaean. Strain A8444 was a bacterium, representing a new species of a new genus. A benzoate degrading sulphate reducing bacterium was isolated from injection water, and later the same strain was detected in produced water. This is the first field observations indicating that sulphate reducers are able to penetrate an oil reservoir. It was found that the oil reservoir contains a diverse population of thermophilic sulphate reducers able to grow on carbon sources in the oil reservoir, and to live and grow in this extreme environment of high temperature and pressure. The mesophilic sulphate reducers are established in the injection water system and in the reservoir near the injection well during oil production. The thermophilic sulphate reducers are able to grow in the reservoir prior to, as well as during production. It appears that the oil reservoir is a natural habitat for thermophilic sulphate reducers and that they have been present in the reservoir long before production started. 322 refs., 9 figs., 11 tabs.

Sulfate-Reducing Prokaryotes from North Sea Oil reservoirs; organisms, distribution and origin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beeder, Janiche

1996-12-31

During oil production in the North Sea, anaerobic seawater is pumped in which stimulates the growth of sulphate-reducing prokaryotes that produce hydrogen sulphide. This sulphide causes major health hazards, economical and operational problems. As told in this thesis, several strains of sulphate reducers have been isolated from North Sea oil field waters. Antibodies have been produced against these strains and used to investigate the distribution of sulphate reducers in a North Sea oil reservoir. The result showed a high diversity among sulphate reducers, with different strains belonging to different parts of the reservoir. Some of these strains have been further characterized. The physiological and phylogenetic characterization showed that strain 7324 was an archaean. Strain A8444 was a bacterium, representing a new species of a new genus. A benzoate degrading sulphate reducing bacterium was isolated from injection water, and later the same strain was detected in produced water. This is the first field observations indicating that sulphate reducers are able to penetrate an oil reservoir. It was found that the oil reservoir contains a diverse population of thermophilic sulphate reducers able to grow on carbon sources in the oil reservoir, and to live and grow in this extreme environment of high temperature and pressure. The mesophilic sulphate reducers are established in the injection water system and in the reservoir near the injection well during oil production. The thermophilic sulphate reducers are able to grow in the reservoir prior to, as well as during production. It appears that the oil reservoir is a natural habitat for thermophilic sulphate reducers and that they have been present in the reservoir long before production started. 322 refs., 9 figs., 11 tabs.

Stimulation and reservoir engineering of geothermal resources. Second annual report, July 1, 1978-September 30, 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kruger, P.; Ramey, H.J. Jr.

1979-09-01

Individual projects are grouped under four main areas of study: energy extraction, bench-scale flow experiments, radon tracer techniques, and well test analysis. The energy extraction experiments concern the efficiency with which the in-place heat and fluids can be produced in the most economical manner. The bench-scale flow experiments cover the results of three models used to examine the properties of flow through porous media at elevated temperature and pressures. Random tracer techniques describe accelerated efforts to field test several geothermal reservoirs by both transient and transect test procedures. The well test analysis section describes several new developments: analysis of earth-tide effects, pressure transient analysis of multilayered systems, interference testing with storage and skin effects, determination of steam-water relative permeability from wellhead data, well test analysis for wells produced at constant pressure, the parallelepiped model, slug test DST analysis, and pressure transient behavior in naturally fractured reservoirs. (MHR)

The effect of pressure on the phase behavior of surfactant systems: An experimental study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandersen, Sara Bülow; Stenby, Erling Halfdan; von Solms, Nicolas

2012-01-01

Enhanced oil recovery is employed in many mature oil reservoirs to maintain or increase the reservoir recovery factor. In this context, surfactant flooding has recently gained interest again. Surfactant flooding is the injection of surfactants (and co-surfactants) into the reservoir, in order...... to create microemulsions at the interface between crude oil and water, thus obtaining very low interfacial tension, which consequently helps mobilize the trapped oil.In this work a surfactant system, which has been thoroughly described at atmospheric pressure, is examined at elevated pressure. The effect...

An experimental study of relative permeability hysteresis, capillary trapping characteristics, and capillary pressure of CO2/brine systems at reservoir conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Akbarabadi, Morteza

We present the results of an extensive experimental study on the effects of hysteresis on permanent capillary trapping and relative permeability of CO2/brine and supercritical (sc)CO2+SO2/brine systems. We performed numerous unsteady- and steady-state drainage and imbibition full-recirculation flow experiments in three different sandstone rock samples, i.e., low and high-permeability Berea, Nugget sandstones, and Madison limestone carbonate rock sample. A state-of-the-art reservoir conditions core-flooding system was used to perform the tests. The core-flooding apparatus included a medical CT scanner to measure in-situ saturations. The scanner was rotated to the horizontal orientation allowing flow tests through vertically-placed core samples with about 3.8 cm diameter and 15 cm length. Both scCO2 /brine and gaseous CO2 (gCO2)/brine fluid systems were studied. The gaseous and supercritical CO2/brine experiments were carried out at 3.46 and 11 MPa back pressures and 20 and 55°C temperatures, respectively. Under the above-mentioned conditions, the gCO2 and scCO2 have 0.081 and 0.393 gr/cm3 densities, respectively. During unsteady-state tests, the samples were first saturated with brine and then flooded with CO2 (drainage) at different maximum flow rates. The drainage process was then followed by a low flow rate (0.375 cm 3/min) imbibition until residual CO2 saturation was achieved. Wide flow rate ranges of 0.25 to 20 cm3/min for scCO2 and 0.125 to 120 cm3min for gCO2 were used to investigate the variation of initial brine saturation (Swi) with maximum CO2 flow rate and variation of trapped CO2 saturation (SCO2r) with Swi. For a given Swi, the trapped scCO2 saturation was less than that of gCO2 in the same sample. This was attributed to brine being less wetting in the presence of scCO2 than in the presence of gCO 2. During the steady-state experiments, after providing of fully-brine saturated core, scCO2 was injected along with brine to find the drainage curve and as

MAPPING OF RESERVOIR PROPERTIES AND FACIES THROUGH INTEGRATION OF STATIC AND DYNAMIC DATA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albert C. Reynolds; Dean S. Oliver; Yannong Dong; Ning Liu; Guohua Gao; Fengjun Zhang; Ruijian Li

2004-12-01

Knowledge of the distribution of permeability and porosity in a reservoir is necessary for the prediction of future oil production, estimation of the location of bypassed oil, and optimization of reservoir management. The volume of data that can potentially provide information on reservoir architecture and fluid distributions has increased enormously in the past decade. The techniques developed in this research will make it easier to use all the available data in an integrated fashion. While it is relatively easy to generate plausible reservoir models that honor static data such as core, log, and seismic data, it is far more difficult to generate plausible reservoir models that honor dynamic data such as transient pressures, saturations, and flow rates. As a result, the uncertainty in reservoir properties is higher than it could be and reservoir management can not be optimized. In this project, we have developed computationally efficient automatic history matching techniques for generating geologically plausible reservoir models which honor both static and dynamic data. Specifically, we have developed methods for adjusting porosity and permeability fields to match both production and time-lapse seismic data and have also developed a procedure to adjust the locations of boundaries between facies to match production data. In all cases, the history matched rock property fields are consistent with a prior model based on static data and geologic information. Our work also indicates that it is possible to adjust relative permeability curves when history matching production data.

Characterization of microbial community and the alkylscccinate synthase genes in petroleum reservoir fluids of China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Lei; Mu, Bo-Zhong [University of Science and Technology (China)], email: bzmu@ecust.edu.cn; Gu, Ji-Dong [The University of Hong Kong (China)], email: jdgu@hkucc.hku.hk

2011-07-01

Petroleum reservoirs represent a special ecosystem consisting of specific temperature, pressure, salt concentration, oil, gas, water, microorganisms and, enzymes among others. This paper presents the characterization of microbial community and the alkyl succinate synthase genes in petroleum reservoir fluids in China. A few samples were analyzed and the physical and chemical characteristics are given in a tabular form. A flow chart shows the methods and procedures for microbial activities. Six petroleum reservoirs were studied using an archaeal 16S rRNA gene-based approach to establish the presence of archaea and the results are given. The correlation of archaeal and bacterial communities with reservoir conditions and diversity of the arachaeal community in water-flooding petroleum reservoirs at different temperatures is also shown. From the study, it can be summarized that, among methane producers, CO2-reducing methanogens are mostly found in oil reservoir ecosystems and as more assA sequences are revealed, more comprehensive molecular probes can be designed to track the activity of anaerobic alkane-degrading organisms in the environment.

New geomechanical developments for reservoir management; Desenvolvimentos experimentais e computacionais para analises geomecanicas de reservatorio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soares, Antonio C.; Menezes Filho, Armando Prestes; Silvestre, Jose R. [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas (CENPES)

2008-07-01

The common assumption that oil is produced under a constant rate only considering reservoir depletion has been questioned for some time. An usual hypothesis is that the physical properties of a reservoir are not constants during time, but they vary according to the properties of reservoir rock and the characteristics of the external loads. More precisely, as soon as a reservoir is explored, the volume of fluid diminishes, decreasing the static pressure and increasing the effective stress over the rock skeleton, which, depending on the nature of rock, can lead to a gradual deformation and alteration of reservoir's porosity and permeability, and oil productivity as well. This paper aims at showing numerical and experimental achievements, developed by the Well bore Engineering Technology Department of CENPES, devoted to the characterization of the influence of stress-strain states on the permeability and production of reservoir rocks. It is believed that these developments can possibly bring some light to the understanding of this complex phenomenon, besides allowing the establishment of more realistic relations involving stress-strain-permeability in coupled fluid dynamic problems. (author)

Investigation of seasonal thermal flow in a real dam reservoir using 3-D numerical modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Üneş Fatih

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Investigations indicate that correct estimation of seasonal thermal stratification in a dam reservoir is very important for the dam reservoir water quality modeling and water management problems. The main aim of this study is to develop a hydrodynamics model of an actual dam reservoir in three dimensions for simulating a real dam reservoir flows for different seasons. The model is developed using nonlinear and unsteady continuity, momentum, energy and k-ε turbulence model equations. In order to include the Coriolis force effect on the flow in a dam reservoir, Coriolis force parameter is also added the model equations. Those equations are constructed using actual dimensions, shape, boundary and initial conditions of the dam and reservoir. Temperature profiles and flow visualizations are used to evaluate flow conditions in the reservoir. Reservoir flow’s process and parameters are determined all over the reservoir. The mathematical model developed is capable of simulating the flow and thermal characteristics of the reservoir system for seasonal heat exchanges. Model simulations results obtained are compared with field measurements obtained from gauging stations for flows in different seasons. The results show a good agreement with the field measurements.

A new flooding scheme by horizontal well in thin heavy oil reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, H.; Zhang, H.; Wang, M. [China Univ. of Petroleum, Beijing (China). MOE Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering ; Wang, Z. [Shengli Oil Field Co. (China). Dept. of Science and Technology]|[SINOPEC, Shengli (China)

2008-10-15

This paper presented a new flooding scheme for single horizontal wells that could improve recovery from thin marginal heavy oil reservoirs or from offshore reservoirs. The scheme involved the use of a multiple tubing string completion in a single wellbore. Special packers were installed within the long completion horizontal interval to establish an injection zone and a production zone. The new flooding scheme also involved simultaneous injection and production. Numerical simulation of the reservoir was used to determine the thickness of the formation and the lower limitation for different viscosities and the optimum time to start steam flooding after steam soaking by economic oil/steam ratio. The peak recovery efficiency of steam flooding was shown to occur when the length of separation section ratio is 0.15 to 0.2. It was concluded that high thermal efficiency in horizontal wells with long completion intervals can be maintained by alternating between steam soaking and steam flooding. Suitable alternation time to steam flooding is a seventh cycle for horizontal wells. Water cut and pressure difference will increase the steam injection rate, and thereby improve the oil production rate. The suitable injection rate for steam flooding is 2.4 t/d.ha.h because of its slow pressure change. 11 refs., 7 figs.

Fingerprinting Persistent Turbidity in Sheep Creek Reservoir, Owhyee, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Ransom, R. N.; Hooper, R. L.; Kerner, D.; Nicols, S.

2007-12-01

Sheep Creek Reservoir near Owyhee, NV is historically a quality rainbow trout fishery. Persistent high-turbidity has been an issue since a major storm event in 2005 resulted in surface water runoff into the Reservoir. The high turbidity is adversely impacting the quality of the fishery. Initial turbidity measurements in 2005 were upwards of 80NTU and these numbers have only decreased to 30NTU over the past two summers. Field parameters indicate the turbidity is associated with high total suspended solids (TSS) and not algae. Five water samples collected from around the reservoir during June, 2007 indicated uniform TSS values in the range of 5 to 12mg/L and oriented powder x-ray diffraction(XRD) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) analyses of suspended sediment shows very uniform suspended particulate mineralogy including smectite, mixed layer illite/smectite (I/S), discrete illite, lesser amounts of kaolin, sub-micron quartz and feldspar. Diatoms represent a ubiquitous but minor component of the suspended solids. Six soil samples collected from possible source areas around the reservoir were analyzed using both XRD and TEM to see if a source area for the suspended solids could be unambiguously identified. Soils on the east side of the reservoir contain smectite and mixed layer I/S but very little of the other clays. The less than 2 micron size fraction from soils collected from a playa on the topographic bench immediately to the west of the reservoir show a mineralogic finger-print essentially identical to the current suspended sediment. The suspended sediment probably originates on the bench to the west of the reservoir and cascades into the reservoir over the topographic break during extreme storm events. The topographic relief, short travel distance and lack of a suitable vegetated buffer zone to the west are all consistent with a primary persistent suspended sediment source from the west. Identification of the sediment source allows for design of a cost

Mittelplate A23/A23M1. Geological and reservoir engineering concept of a dual-lateral well; Mittelplate A23/A23M1. Geologisches und lagerstaettentechnisches Konzept einer Duolateralbohrung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osivandi, K.; Racher, D. [RWE Dea AG, Hamburg (Germany)

2011-07-15

The Mittelplate Oil Field is situated in the German Wadden Sea in the West Holstein Trough in the concession Heide/Buesum, about 100 km northwest of Hamburg. Operator is RWE Dea AG (50%), and the partner is Wintershall Holding GmbH (50%). Besides the reservoir layers of the Dogger Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, and Zeta, the shallow-marine/deltaic sandstone-shale-succession of the Dogger Beta (with its five oil-bearing sandstones of 1-5 m thickness each) forms the laterally widespread reservoir which was the target for Germany's and RWE Dea AG's first pressure-tight multilateral well. So far the Dogger-Beta-Reservoir has been developed with wells from the artificial island Mittelplate A using a 5-spot pattern with a successive concentric concept. In order to reduce the costs and effectively make use of the limited amount of slots, the development concept should be improved by implementing the multilateral technology. By targeting three drainage areas in total, the multilateral well Mittelplate A23/A23M1 was planned to produce oil at an initial rate of ca. 400 m{sup 3}/d. In order to achieve a horizontal interval of ca. 2640 m length, several LWD measurements including Gamma Ray- and Density- Images and Deep-Directional-Resistivity logs were necessary. The long horizontal exposure of the oil-bearing sandstone layers as well as the tangent sections for placement of the electrical submersible pump (ESP) and junction above the reservoir represented the main challenges during geological planning and realtime geosteering. A total perforation length of 1360 m was achieved, taking into account the required distances to neighboring producer wells and the laterally varying pore pressures. According to the latest production history of the well, a cumulative production of about 10% more than initially planned are expected after an initial production rate of 735 m{sup 3}/d. Thanks to the successful application of the multilateral technology and geosteering within the thin

Models for ductile crack initiation and tearing resistance under mode 1 loading in pressure vessel steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, M.R.

1988-06-01

Micromechanistic models are presented which aim to predict plane strain ductile initiation toughness, tearing resistance and notched bar fracture strains in pressure vessel steels under monotonically increasing tensile (mode 1) loading. The models for initiation toughness and tearing resistance recognize that ductile fracture proceeds by the growth and linkage of voids with the crack-tip. The models are shown to predict the trend of initiation toughness with inclusion spacing/size ratio and can bound the available experimental data. The model for crack growth can reproduce the tearing resistance of a pressure vessel steel up to and just beyond crack growth initiation. The fracture strains of notched bars pulled in tension are shown to correspond to the achievement of a critical volume fraction of voids. This criterion is combined with the true stress - true strain history of a material point ahead of a blunting crack-tip to predict the initiation toughness. An attempt was made to predict the fracture strains of notched tensile bars by adopting a model which predicts the onset of a shear localization phenomenon. Fracture strains of the correct order are computed only if a ''secondary'' void nucleation event at carbide precipitates is taken into account. (author)

Measurement of critical energy for direct initiation of spherical detonations in stoichiometric high-pressure H{sub 2}-O{sub 2} mixtures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamenskihs, Vsevolods; Lee, John H.S. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Ng, Hoi Dick [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

2010-09-15

In this study, the critical energy for direct initiation of spherical detonations in stoichiometric high-pressure hydrogen-oxygen mixtures are measured and investigated to look at the effect of explosion limits on the detonation sensitivity. Results up to an initial pressure of 20 atm are obtained. Experiments are carried out in a spherical bomb and direct initiation is achieved via spark ignition from a high-voltage capacitor discharge. A detailed description of different methods to obtain a good estimate of the correct amount of energy deposited into the mixture used to initiate the detonation, including the calorimeter method and current method, is provided. It is demonstrated that at elevated initial pressure, the second explosion limit effect plays a significant role leading to slow-branching reactions and the detonation sensitivity of hydrogen mixtures is comparable to other common hydrocarbon mixtures at such condition. (author)

Update on Production Chemistry of the Roosevelt Hot Springs Reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simmons, Stuart; Kirby, Stefan; Allis, Rick; Moore, Joe; Fischer, Tobias

2018-02-12

Analyses of production fluids from the Roosevelt Hot Springs reservoir were acquired from well sampling campaigns in 2015 and 2016. The resulting data have been recalculated to reservoir conditions by correcting for effects of steam loss, and the values are compared to legacy data from earlier reports to quantify changes with time in response to fluid production. The reservoir composition is similar to that at the start of reservoir exploitation, having near neutral pH, total dissolved solids of 7000-10,000 mg/kg, and ionic ratios of Cl/HCO3 ~50-100, Cl/SO4 ~50-100, and Na/K ~4-5. Cation, gas and silica geothermometers indicate a range of equilibration temperatures between 240 and 300 °C, but quartz-silica values are most closely consistent with measured reservoir temperatures and well enthalpies. The largest change in fluid composition is observed in well 54-3. The fluid has evolved from being fed by a single phase liquid to a twophase mixture of steam and liquid due to pressure draw down. The fluid also shows a 25% increase in reservoir chloride and a ~20° C decrement of cooling related to mixing with injected brine. The other production wells also show increase in chloride and decrease in temperature, but these changes diminish in magnitude with distance from injection well 14-2. Stable isotope compositions indicate that the reservoir water is largely meteoric in origin, having been modified by hydrothermal waterrock interaction. The water has also become progressively enriched in isotopic values in response to steam loss and mixing of injectate. N2-Ar-He and helium isotope ratios indicate a deep magmatic source region that probably supplies the heat for the hydrothermal system, consistent with recent Quaternary volcanism in the Mineral Mountains.

MAPPING OF RESERVOIR PROPERTIES AND FACIES THROUGH INTEGRATION OF STATIC AND DYNAMIC DATA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albert C. Reynolds; Dean S. Oliver; Fengjun Zhang; Yannong Dong; Jan Arild Skjervheim; Ning Liu

2003-01-01

Knowledge of the distribution of permeability and porosity in a reservoir is necessary for the prediction of future oil production, estimation of the location of bypassed oil, and optimization of reservoir management. But while the volume of data that can potentially provide information on reservoir architecture and fluid distributions has increased enormously in the past decade, it is not yet possible to make use of all the available data in an integrated fashion. While it is relatively easy to generate plausible reservoir models that honor static data such as core, log, and seismic data, it is far more difficult to generate plausible reservoir models that honor dynamic data such as transient pressures, saturations, and flow rates. As a result, the uncertainty in reservoir properties is higher than it could be and reservoir management can not be optimized. The goal of this project is to develop computationally efficient automatic history matching techniques for generating geologically plausible reservoir models which honor both static and dynamic data. Solution of this problem is necessary for the quantification of uncertainty in future reservoir performance predictions and for the optimization of reservoir management. Facies (defined here as regions of relatively uniform petrophysical properties) are common features of all reservoirs. Because the flow properties of the various facies can vary greatly, knowledge of the location of facies boundaries is of utmost importance for the prediction of reservoir performance and for the optimization of reservoir management. When the boundaries between facies are fairly well known, but flow properties are poorly known, the average properties for all facies can be determined using traditional techniques. Traditional history matching honors dynamic data by adjusting petrophysical properties in large areas, but in the process of adjusting the reservoir model ignores the static data and often results in implausible reservoir

Multi-data reservoir history matching for enhanced reservoir forecasting and uncertainty quantification

KAUST Repository

Katterbauer, Klemens

2015-04-01

Reservoir simulations and history matching are critical for fine-tuning reservoir production strategies, improving understanding of the subsurface formation, and forecasting remaining reserves. Production data have long been incorporated for adjusting reservoir parameters. However, the sparse spatial sampling of this data set has posed a significant challenge for efficiently reducing uncertainty of reservoir parameters. Seismic, electromagnetic, gravity and InSAR techniques have found widespread applications in enhancing exploration for oil and gas and monitoring reservoirs. These data have however been interpreted and analyzed mostly separately, rarely exploiting the synergy effects that could result from combining them. We present a multi-data ensemble Kalman filter-based history matching framework for the simultaneous incorporation of various reservoir data such as seismic, electromagnetics, gravimetry and InSAR for best possible characterization of the reservoir formation. We apply an ensemble-based sensitivity method to evaluate the impact of each observation on the estimated reservoir parameters. Numerical experiments for different test cases demonstrate considerable matching enhancements when integrating all data sets in the history matching process. Results from the sensitivity analysis further suggest that electromagnetic data exhibit the strongest impact on the matching enhancements due to their strong differentiation between water fronts and hydrocarbons in the test cases.

A New Method for Fracturing Wells Reservoir Evaluation in Fractured Gas Reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianchun Guo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Natural fracture is a geological phenomenon widely distributed in tight formation, and fractured gas reservoir stimulation effect mainly depends on the communication of natural fractures. Therefore it is necessary to carry out the evaluation of this reservoir and to find out the optimal natural fractures development wells. By analyzing the interactions and nonlinear relationships of the parameters, it establishes three-level index system of reservoir evaluation and proposes a new method for gas well reservoir evaluation model in fractured gas reservoir on the basis of fuzzy logic theory and multilevel gray correlation. For this method, the Gaussian membership functions to quantify the degree of every factor in the decision-making system and the multilevel gray relation to determine the weight of each parameter on stimulation effect. Finally through fuzzy arithmetic operator between multilevel weights and fuzzy evaluation matrix, score, rank, the reservoir quality, and predicted production will be gotten. Result of this new method shows that the evaluation of the production coincidence rate reaches 80%, which provides a new way for fractured gas reservoir evaluation.

Data Assimilation Tools for CO2 Reservoir Model Development – A Review of Key Data Types, Analyses, and Selected Software

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rockhold, Mark L.; Sullivan, E. C.; Murray, Christopher J.; Last, George V.; Black, Gary D.

2009-09-30

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has embarked on an initiative to develop world-class capabilities for performing experimental and computational analyses associated with geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to provide science-based solutions for helping to mitigate the adverse effects of greenhouse gas emissions. This Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) initiative currently has two primary focus areas—advanced experimental methods and computational analysis. The experimental methods focus area involves the development of new experimental capabilities, supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory (EMSL) housed at PNNL, for quantifying mineral reaction kinetics with CO2 under high temperature and pressure (supercritical) conditions. The computational analysis focus area involves numerical simulation of coupled, multi-scale processes associated with CO2 sequestration in geologic media, and the development of software to facilitate building and parameterizing conceptual and numerical models of subsurface reservoirs that represent geologic repositories for injected CO2. This report describes work in support of the computational analysis focus area. The computational analysis focus area currently consists of several collaborative research projects. These are all geared towards the development and application of conceptual and numerical models for geologic sequestration of CO2. The software being developed for this focus area is referred to as the Geologic Sequestration Software Suite or GS3. A wiki-based software framework is being developed to support GS3. This report summarizes work performed in FY09 on one of the LDRD projects in the computational analysis focus area. The title of this project is Data Assimilation Tools for CO2 Reservoir Model Development. Some key objectives of this project in FY09 were to assess the current state

Development of infill drilling recovery models for carbonates reservoirs using neural networks and multivariate statistical as a novel method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soto, R; Wu, Ch. H; Bubela, A M

1999-01-01

This work introduces a novel methodology to improve reservoir characterization models. In this methodology we integrated multivariate statistical analyses, and neural network models for forecasting the infill drilling ultimate oil recovery from reservoirs in San Andres and Clearfork carbonate formations in west Texas. Development of the oil recovery forecast models help us to understand the relative importance of dominant reservoir characteristics and operational variables, reproduce recoveries for units included in the database, forecast recoveries for possible new units in similar geological setting, and make operational (infill drilling) decisions. The variety of applications demands the creation of multiple recovery forecast models. We have developed intelligent software (Soto, 1998), oilfield intelligence (01), as an engineering tool to improve the characterization of oil and gas reservoirs. 01 integrates neural networks and multivariate statistical analysis. It is composed of five main subsystems: data input, preprocessing, architecture design, graphic design, and inference engine modules. One of the challenges in this research was to identify the dominant and the optimum number of independent variables. The variables include porosity, permeability, water saturation, depth, area, net thickness, gross thickness, formation volume factor, pressure, viscosity, API gravity, number of wells in initial water flooding, number of wells for primary recovery, number of infill wells over the initial water flooding, PRUR, IWUR, and IDUR. Multivariate principal component analysis is used to identify the dominant and the optimum number of independent variables. We compared the results from neural network models with the non-parametric approach. The advantage of the non-parametric regression is that it is easy to use. The disadvantage is that it retains a large variance of forecast results for a particular data set. We also used neural network concepts to develop recovery

SAGD development strategy for concurrent production of two vertically stacked clastic reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Q.; Nugent, D.; Meyer, K. [Osum Oil Sands Corp (Canada)

2011-07-01

The Taiga project was proposed by Osum oil sands corporation for the development of oil sand production in the Cold Lake area. The project is comprised of two reservoirs, one in the Lower Grand Rapids formation and the other in the Clearwater formation. Given the different characteristics of the two reservoirs, oil recovery would require individual drainage systems with their respective designs, operating strategies, and drilling operations. Having to build two steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) systems would increase the risks and costs of the project. The current study proposes a model for SAGD operations that would produce from both formations simultaneously while addressing the different properties of the two reservoirs. A geo-mechanical model was used to predict the efficiency of the production process and estimate the temperature and pressure distribution in the reservoir during the drainage. Analysis shows that the model for simultaneous SAGD operations would reduce the drilling risks, improve the efficiency of the steam, increase the oil production, and reduce the costs of the project.

Detailed geologic modeling of a turbidity reservoir interval at the Mars discovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahaffie, M.J.; Chapin, M.A. [Shell Exploration and Production Technology Co. (United States); Henry, W.A. [Shell Offshore, Inc. (United States)

1995-12-31

Detailed reservoir architecture studies using high resolution seismic data coupled with geologic and seismic inversion modeling have been used to evaluate a major hydrocarbon bearing turbidite reservoir found within Prospect Mars. Early interpretations of this interval, based on lower frequency (40 Hz) seismic data, indicated the presence of a single, laterally continuous event covering an area nearly 3 miles square ({approx} 5200 acres). Correlations from well control supported the notion that this seismic event comprised a series of continuous sheet sands exhibiting a high degree of lateral continuity and connectivity. However pressure data taken during fluid sampling of the reservoir suggested the possibility of discontinuities not observed within the resolution of the seismic data. Seismic reprocessing enhancements to increase frequency content revealed the presence of multiple stratigraphic features not previously recognized. Detailed seismic mapping using loop-level seismic attributes and seismic inversion studies constrained by geologic models provide a more realistic depiction of the environment of deposition and improve reservoir simulation modeling for this stratigraphic interval. (author). 3 figs

Reservoir Engineering Management Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howard, J.H.; Schwarz, W.J.

1977-12-14

The Reservoir Engineering Management Program being conducted at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory includes two major tasks: 1) the continuation of support to geothermal reservoir engineering related work, started under the NSF-RANN program and transferred to ERDA at the time of its formation; 2) the development and subsequent implementation of a broad plan for support of research in topics related to the exploitation of geothermal reservoirs. This plan is now known as the GREMP plan. Both the NSF-RANN legacies and GREMP are in direct support of the DOE/DGE mission in general and the goals of the Resource and Technology/Resource Exploitation and Assessment Branch in particular. These goals are to determine the magnitude and distribution of geothermal resources and reduce risk in their exploitation through improved understanding of generically different reservoir types. These goals are to be accomplished by: 1) the creation of a large data base about geothermal reservoirs, 2) improved tools and methods for gathering data on geothermal reservoirs, and 3) modeling of reservoirs and utilization options. The NSF legacies are more research and training oriented, and the GREMP is geared primarily to the practical development of the geothermal reservoirs. 2 tabs., 3 figs.

Measuring the initial earth pressure of granite using hydraulic fracturing test; Goseong and Yuseong areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Byoung Yoon; Bae, Dae Seok; Kim, Chun Soo; Kim, Kyung Su; Koh, Young Kwon; Won, Kyung Sik [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2002-02-01

This report provides the initial earth pressure of granitic rocks obtained from Deep Core Drilling Program which is carried out as part of the assessment of deep geological environmental condition. These data are obtained by hydraulic fracturing test in three boreholes drilled up to 350{approx}500 m depth at the Yuseong and Goseong sites. These sites were selected based on the result of preliminary site evaluation study. The boreholes are NX-size (76 mm) and vertical. The procedure of hydraulic fracturing test is as follows: - Selecting the testing positions by preliminary investigation using BHTV logging. - Performing the hydraulic fracturing test at each selected position with depth.- Estimating the shut-in pressure by the bilinear pressure-decay-rate method. - Estimating the fracture reopening pressure from the pressure-time curves.- Estimating the horizontal principal stresses and the direction of principal stresses. 65 refs., 39 figs., 12 tabs. (Author)

Scientific rationale for antiretroviral therapy in 2005: viral reservoirs and resistance evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Siliciano, Robert F

2005-01-01

Hope for a cure for HIV-1 infection was dampened by the discovery of a latent form of the virus that persists in resting CD4+ cells. This reservoir of latently HIV-infected resting memory T cells represents an archive of viral genotypes produced in an individual from the onset of infection. Entry into the reservoir is stopped with suppressive antiretroviral therapy, but the archived viruses are capable of re-initiating active infections, are released continuously from this reservoir, and can cause viral rebound if antiretroviral therapy is stopped. Studies of residual low-level viremia (Robert F. Siliciano, MD, PhD, at the International AIDS Society-USA course in New York in March 2005.

Successful flow testing of a gas reservoir in 3,500 feet of water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaughnessy, J.M.; Carpenter, R.S.; Coleman, R.A.; Jackson, C.W.

1992-01-01

The test of Viosca Knoll Block 957 Well No. 1 Sidetrack No. 2 was Amoco Production Co.'s deepest test from a floating rig. Viosca Knoll 957 is 115 miles southeast of New Orleans in 3,500 ft of water. The test, at a record water depth for the Gulf of Mexico, also set a world water-depth record for testing a gas reservoir. Safety to crew and the environmental were top priorities during the planning. A team consisting of drilling, completion, reservoir, and facilities engineers and a foreman were assigned to plan and implement the test. Early planning involved field, service company, and engineering groups. Every effort was made to identify potential problems and to design the system to handle them. This paper reports that the goals of the test were to determine reservoir properties and reservoir limits. Several significant challenges were involved in the well test. The reservoir was gas with a potentially significant condensate yield. The ability to dispose of the large volumes of produced fluids safely without polluting was critical to maintaining uninterrupted flow. Potential shut-in surface pressure was 6,500 psi. Seafloor temperature in 3,500 ft of water was 39 degrees F

Determining the explosion effects on the Gasbuggy reservoir from computer simulation of the postshot gas production history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, Leo A.

1970-01-01

Analysis of the gas production data from Gasbuggy to deduce reservoir properties outside the chimney is complicated by the large gas storage volume in the chimney because the gas flow from the surrounding reservoir into the chimney cannot be directly measured. This problem was overcome by developing a chimney volume factor F (M 2 CF/PSI) based upon analysis of rapid drawdowns during the production tests. The chimney volume factor was in turn used to construct the time history of the required influx of gas into the chimney from the surrounding reservoir. The most probable value of F to describe the chimney is found to be 0.150 M 2 CF/PSI. Postulated models of the reservoir properties outside the chimney are examined by calculating the pressure distribution and flow of gas through the reservoir with the experimentally observed chimney pressure history applied to the cavity wall. The calculated influx from the reservoir into the chimney is then compared to the required influx and the calculated pressure at a radius of 300 feet is compared to the observed pressures in a shut-in satellite well (GB-2RS) which intersects the gas-bearing formation 300 feet from the center of the chimney. A description of the mathematics in the computer program used to perform the calculations is given. Gas flow for a radial model wherein permeability and porosity are uniform through the gas producing sand outside the chimney was calculated for several values of permeability. These calculations indicated that for the first drawdown test (July 1968) the permeability-producing height product (kh) was in the region of 15 to 30 millidarcy-feet (md-ft) and that after several months of testing, the effective kh had dropped to less than 8 md-ft. Calculations wherein (1) the permeability decreases from the chimney out to the 'fracture' radius, and (2) an increased production height is used near the chimney, match the data better than the simple radial model. Reasonable fits to the data for the

A New Way to Calculate Flow Pressure for Low Permeability Oil Well with Partially Penetrating Fracture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiong Ping

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the validity of the previous models on calculating flow pressure for oil well with partially perforating fracture, a new physical model that obeys the actual heterogeneous reservoir characteristics was built. Different conditions, including reservoir with impermeable top and bottom borders or the reservoir top which has constant pressure, were considered. Through dimensionless transformation, Laplace transformation, Fourier cosine transformation, separation of variables, and other mathematical methods, the analytical solution of Laplace domain was obtained. By using Stephenson numerical methods, the numerical solution pressure in a real domain was obtained. The results of this method agree with the numerical simulations, suggesting that this new method is reliable. The following sensitivity analysis showed that the pressure dynamic linear flow curve can be divided into four flow streams of early linear flow, midradial flow, advanced spherical flow, and border controlling flow. Fracture length controls the early linear flow. Permeability anisotropy significantly affects the midradial flow. The degree of penetration and fracture orientation dominantly affect the late spherical flow. The boundary conditions and reservoir boundary width mainly affect the border controlling flow. The method can be used to determine the optimal degree of opening shot, vertical permeability, and other useful parameters, providing theoretical guidance for reservoir engineering analysis.

The Potential of a Surfactant/Polymer Flood in a Middle Eastern Reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meshal Algharaib

2012-01-01

Full Text Available An integrated full-field reservoir simulation study has been performed to determine the reservoir management and production strategies in a mature sandstone reservoir. The reservoir is a candidate for an enhanced oil recovery process or otherwise subject to abandonment. Based on its charateristics, the reservoir was found to be most suited for a surfactant/polymer (SP flood. The study started with a large data gathering and the building of a full-field three-dimensional geological model. Subsequently, a full field simulation model was built and used to history match the water flood. The history match of the water flood emphasizes the areas with remaining high oil saturations, establishes the initial condition of the reservoir for an SP flood, and generates a forecast of reserves for continued water flood operations. A sector model was constructed from the full field model and then used to study different design parameters to maximize the project profitability from the SP flood. An economic model, based on the estimated recovery, residual oil in-place, oil price, and operating costs, has been implemented in order to optimize the project profitability. The study resulted in the selection of surfactant and polymer concentrations and slug size that yielded the best economic returns when applied in this reservoir. The study shows that, in today’s oil prices, surfactant/polymer flood when applied in this reservoir has increased the ultimate oil recovery and provide a significant financial returns.

An Integrated Study of the Grayburg/San Andres Reservoir, Foster and South Cowden Fields, Ector County, Texas, Class II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trentham, Robert C.; Weinbrandt, Richard; Robinson, William C.; Widner, Kevin

2001-05-03

The objectives of the project were to: (1) Thoroughly understand the 60-year history of the field. (2) Develop a reservoir description using geology and 3D seismic. (3) Isolate the upper Grayburg in wells producing from multiple intervals to stop cross flow. (4) Re-align and optimize the upper Grayburg waterflood. (5) Determine well condition, identify re-frac candidates, evaluate the effectiveness of well work and obtain bottom hole pressure data for simulation utilizing pressure transient testing field wide. (6) Quantitatively integrate all the data to guide the field operations, including identification of new well locations utilizing reservoir simulation.

Numerical Well Testing Interpretation Model and Applications in Crossflow Double-Layer Reservoirs by Polymer Flooding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haiyang Yu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents numerical well testing interpretation model and analysis techniques to evaluate formation by using pressure transient data acquired with logging tools in crossflow double-layer reservoirs by polymer flooding. A well testing model is established based on rheology experiments and by considering shear, diffusion, convection, inaccessible pore volume (IPV, permeability reduction, wellbore storage effect, and skin factors. The type curves were then developed based on this model, and parameter sensitivity is analyzed. Our research shows that the type curves have five segments with different flow status: (I wellbore storage section, (II intermediate flow section (transient section, (III mid-radial flow section, (IV crossflow section (from low permeability layer to high permeability layer, and (V systematic radial flow section. The polymer flooding field tests prove that our model can accurately determine formation parameters in crossflow double-layer reservoirs by polymer flooding. Moreover, formation damage caused by polymer flooding can also be evaluated by comparison of the interpreted permeability with initial layered permeability before polymer flooding. Comparison of the analysis of numerical solution based on flow mechanism with observed polymer flooding field test data highlights the potential for the application of this interpretation method in formation evaluation and enhanced oil recovery (EOR.

Continued-fraction representation of the Kraus map for non-Markovian reservoir damping

Science.gov (United States)

van Wonderen, A. J.; Suttorp, L. G.

2018-04-01

Quantum dissipation is studied for a discrete system that linearly interacts with a reservoir of harmonic oscillators at thermal equilibrium. Initial correlations between system and reservoir are assumed to be absent. The dissipative dynamics as determined by the unitary evolution of system and reservoir is described by a Kraus map consisting of an infinite number of matrices. For all Laplace-transformed Kraus matrices exact solutions are constructed in terms of continued fractions that depend on the pair correlation functions of the reservoir. By performing factorizations in the Kraus map a perturbation theory is set up that conserves in arbitrary perturbative order both positivity and probability of the density matrix. The latter is determined by an integral equation for a bitemporal matrix and a finite hierarchy for Kraus matrices. In the lowest perturbative order this hierarchy reduces to one equation for one Kraus matrix. Its solution is given by a continued fraction of a much simpler structure as compared to the non-perturbative case. In the lowest perturbative order our non-Markovian evolution equations are applied to the damped Jaynes–Cummings model. From the solution for the atomic density matrix it is found that the atom may remain in the state of maximum entropy for a significant time span that depends on the initial energy of the radiation field.

Pressure-dependent kinetics of initial reactions in iso-octane pyrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, HongBo; Gong, ChunMing; Li, ZeRong; Li, XiangYuan

2015-05-07

This study focuses on the studies of the main pressure-dependent reaction types of iso-octane (iso-C8H18) pyrolysis, including initial C-C bond fission of iso-octane, isomerization, and β-scission reactions of the alkyl radicals produced by the C-C bond fission of iso-octane. For the C-C bond fission of iso-octane, the minimum energy potentials are calculated at the CASPT2(2e,2o)/6-31+G(d,p)//CAS(2e,2o)/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. For the isomerization and the β-scission reactions of the alkyl radicals, the optimization of the geometries and the vibrational frequencies of the reactants, transition states, and products are performed at the B3LYP/CBSB7 level, and their single point energies are calculated by using the composite CBS-QB3 method. Variable reaction coordinate transition state theory (VRC-TST) is used for the high-pressure limit rate constant calculation and Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus/master equation (RRKM/ME) is used to calculate the pressure-dependent rate constants of these channels with pressure varying from 0.01-100 atm. The rate constants obtained in this work are in good agreement with those available from literatures. We have updated the rate constants and thermodynamic parameters for species involved in these reactions into a current chemical kinetic mechanism and also have improved the concentration profiles of main products such as C3H6 and C4H6 in the shock tube pyrolysis of iso-octane. The results of this study provide insight into the pyrolysis of iso-octane and will be helpful in the future development of branched paraffin kinetic mechanisms.

Reservoir Souring - Latest developments for application and mitigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johnson, Richard J; Folwell, Benjamin D; Wirekoh, Alexander

2017-01-01

Sulphate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP) have been identified in oil field fluids since the 1920s. SRP reduce sulphate to sulphide, a toxic and corrosive species that impacts on operational safety, metallurgy and both capital and operational cost. Differences in water cut, temperature, pressure...... and fluid chemistry can impact on the observed H2S concentration, meaning that an increase in H2S concentration does not always correlate with activity of SRP. However it wasn't until the 1990s that SRP activity was accepted as the leading cause of reservoir souring (i.e. an increase in H2S concentrations...... to reservoir souring. This has led to some recent advances in microbial control and detection, however, despite this, many of the methods used routinely for microbial control and detection are over a century old. We therefore look towards emerging and novel mitigation technologies that may be used...

Evaluation of an Empirical Reservoir Shape Function to Define Sediment Distributions in Small Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogusław Michalec

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Understanding and defining the spatial distribution of sediment deposited in reservoirs is essential not only at the design stage but also during the operation. The majority of research concerns the distribution of sediment deposition in medium and large water reservoirs. Most empirical methods do not provide satisfactory results when applied to the determination of sediment deposition in small reservoirs. Small reservoir’s volumes do not exceed 5 × 106 m3 and their capacity-inflow ratio is less than 10%. Long-term silting measurements of three small reservoirs were used to evaluate the method described by Rahmanian and Banihashemi for predicting sediment distributions in small reservoirs. Rahmanian and Banihashemi stated that their model of distribution of sediment deposition in water reservoir works well for a long duration operation. In the presented study, the silting rate was used in order to determine the long duration operation. Silting rate is a quotient of volume of the sediment deposited in the reservoir and its original volume. It was stated that when the silting rate had reached 50%, the sediment deposition in the reservoir may be described by an empirical reservoir depth shape function (RDSF.

Fundamentals of Reservoir Surface Energy as Related to Surface Properties, Wettability, Capillary Action, and Oil Recovery from Fractured Reservoirs by Spontaneous Imbibition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norman Morrow; Herbert Fischer; Yu Li; Geoffrey Mason; Douglas Ruth; Siddhartha Seth; Zhengxin Tong; Evren Unsal; Siluni Wickramathilaka; Shaochang Wo; Peigui Yin

2008-06-30

The objective of this project is to increase oil recovery from fractured reservoirs through improved fundamental understanding of the process of spontaneous imbibition by which oil is displaced from the rock matrix into the fractures. Spontaneous imbibition is fundamentally dependent on the reservoir surface free energy but this has never been investigated for rocks. In this project, the surface free energy of rocks will be determined by using liquids that can be solidified within the rock pore space at selected saturations. Thin sections of the rock then provide a two-dimensional view of the rock minerals and the occupant phases. Saturations and oil/rock, water/rock, and oil/water surface areas will be determined by advanced petrographic analysis and the surface free energy which drives spontaneous imbibition will be determined as a function of increase in wetting phase saturation. The inherent loss in surface free energy resulting from capillary instabilities at the microscopic (pore level) scale will be distinguished from the decrease in surface free energy that drives spontaneous imbibition. A mathematical network/numerical model will be developed and tested against experimental results of recovery versus time over broad variation of key factors such as rock properties, fluid phase viscosities, sample size, shape and boundary conditions. Two fundamentally important, but not previously considered, parameters of spontaneous imbibition, the capillary pressure acting to oppose production of oil at the outflow face and the pressure in the non-wetting phase at the no-flow boundary versus time, will also be measured and modeled. Simulation and network models will also be tested against special case solutions provided by analytic models. In the second stage of the project, application of the fundamental concepts developed in the first stage of the project will be demonstrated. The fundamental ideas, measurements, and analytic/numerical modeling will be applied to mixed

FUNDAMENTALS OF RESERVOIR SURFACE ENERGY AS RELATED TO SURFACE PROPERTIES, WETTABILITY, CAPILLARY ACTION, AND OIL RECOVERY FROM FRACTURED RESERVOIRS BY SPONTANEOUS IMBIBITION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norman R. Morrow

2004-05-01

The objective of this project is to increase oil recovery from fractured reservoirs through improved fundamental understanding of the process of spontaneous imbibition by which oil is displaced from the rock matrix into the fractures. Spontaneous imbibition is fundamentally dependent on the reservoir surface free energy but this has never been investigated for rocks. In this project, the surface free energy of rocks will be determined by using liquids that can be solidified within the rock pore space at selected saturations. Thin sections of the rock then provide a two-dimensional view of the rock minerals and the occupant phases. Saturations and oil/rock, water/rock, and oil/water surface areas will be determined by advanced petrographic analysis and the surface free energy which drives spontaneous imbibition will be determined as a function of increase in wetting phase saturation. The inherent loss in surface free energy resulting from capillary instabilities at the microscopic (pore level) scale will be distinguished from the decrease in surface free energy that drives spontaneous imbibition. A mathematical network/numerical model will be developed and tested against experimental results of recovery versus time over broad variation of key factors such as rock properties, fluid phase viscosities, sample size, shape and boundary conditions. Two fundamentally important, but not previously considered, parameters of spontaneous imbibition, the capillary pressure acting to oppose production of oil at the outflow face and the pressure in the nonwetting phase at the no-flow boundary versus time, will also be measured and modeled. Simulation and network models will also be tested against special case solutions provided by analytic models. In the second stage of the project, application of the fundamental concepts developed in the first stage of the project will be demonstrated. The fundamental ideas, measurements, and analytic/numerical modeling will be applied to mixed

FUNDAMENTALS OF RESERVOIR SURFACE ENERGY AS RELATED TO SURFACE PROPERTIES, WETTABILITY, CAPILLARY ACTION, AND OIL RECOVERY FROM FRACTURED RESERVOIRS BY SPONTANEOUS IMBIBITION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norman R. Morrow

2004-07-01

The objective of this project is to increase oil recovery from fractured reservoirs through improved fundamental understanding of the process of spontaneous imbibition by which oil is displaced from the rock matrix into the fractures. Spontaneous imbibition is fundamentally dependent on the reservoir surface free energy but this has never been investigated for rocks. In this project, the surface free energy of rocks will be determined by using liquids that can be solidified within the rock pore space at selected saturations. Thin sections of the rock then provide a two-dimensional view of the rock minerals and the occupant phases. Saturations and oil/rock, water/rock, and oil/water surface areas will be determined by advanced petrographic analysis and the surface free energy which drives spontaneous imbibition will be determined as a function of increase in wetting phase saturation. The inherent loss in surface free energy resulting from capillary instabilities at the microscopic (pore level) scale will be distinguished from the decrease in surface free energy that drives spontaneous imbibition. A mathematical network/numerical model will be developed and tested against experimental results of recovery versus time over broad variation of key factors such as rock properties, fluid phase viscosities, sample size, shape and boundary conditions. Two fundamentally important, but not previously considered, parameters of spontaneous imbibition, the capillary pressure acting to oppose production of oil at the outflow face and the pressure in the nonwetting phase at the no-flow boundary versus time, will also be measured and modeled. Simulation and network models will also be tested against special case solutions provided by analytic models. In the second stage of the project, application of the fundamental concepts developed in the first stage of the project will be demonstrated. The fundamental ideas, measurements, and analytic/numerical modeling will be applied to mixed

A Multi-physics Approach to Understanding Low Porosity Soils and Reservoir Rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, M.; Mapeli, C.; Livo, K.; Hasanov, A.; Schindler, M.; Ou, L.

2017-12-01

We present recent results on our multiphysics approach to rock physics. Thus, we evaluate geophysical measurements by simultaneously measuring petrophysical properties or imaging strains. In this paper, we present simultaneously measured acoustic and electrical anisotropy data as functions of pressure. Similarly, we present strains and strain localization images simultaneously acquired with acoustic measurements as well as NMR T2 relaxations on pressurized fluids as well as rocks saturated with these pressurized fluids. Such multiphysics experiments allow us to constrain and assign appropriate causative mechanisms to development rock physics models. They also allow us to decouple various effects, for example, fluid versus pressure, on geophysical measurements. We show applications towards reservoir characterization as well as CO2 sequestration applications.

An improved method for predicting brittleness of rocks via well logs in tight oil reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhenlin; Sun, Ting; Feng, Cheng; Wang, Wei; Han, Chuang

2018-06-01

There can be no industrial oil production in tight oil reservoirs until fracturing is undertaken. Under such conditions, the brittleness of the rocks is a very important factor. However, it has so far been difficult to predict. In this paper, the selected study area is the tight oil reservoirs in Lucaogou formation, Permian, Jimusaer sag, Junggar basin. According to the transformation of dynamic and static rock mechanics parameters and the correction of confining pressure, an improved method is proposed for quantitatively predicting the brittleness of rocks via well logs in tight oil reservoirs. First, 19 typical tight oil core samples are selected in the study area. Their static Young’s modulus, static Poisson’s ratio and petrophysical parameters are measured. In addition, the static brittleness indices of four other tight oil cores are measured under different confining pressure conditions. Second, the dynamic Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio and brittleness index are calculated using the compressional and shear wave velocity. With combination of the measured and calculated results, the transformation model of dynamic and static brittleness index is built based on the influence of porosity and clay content. The comparison of the predicted brittleness indices and measured results shows that the model has high accuracy. Third, on the basis of the experimental data under different confining pressure conditions, the amplifying factor of brittleness index is proposed to correct for the influence of confining pressure on the brittleness index. Finally, the above improved models are applied to formation evaluation via well logs. Compared with the results before correction, the results of the improved models agree better with the experimental data, which indicates that the improved models have better application effects. The brittleness index prediction method of tight oil reservoirs is improved in this research. It is of great importance in the optimization of

Reservoir Performance Under Future Climate For Basins With Different Hydrologic Sensitivities

Science.gov (United States)

Mateus, M. C.; Tullos, D. D.

2013-12-01

In addition to long-standing uncertainties related to variable inflows and market price of power, reservoir operators face a number of new uncertainties related to hydrologic nonstationarity, changing environmental regulations, and rapidly growing water and energy demands. This study investigates the impact, sensitivity, and uncertainty of changing hydrology on hydrosystem performance across different hydrogeologic settings. We evaluate the performance of reservoirs in the Santiam River basin, including a case study in the North Santiam Basin, with high permeability and extensive groundwater storage, and the South Santiam Basin, with low permeability, little groundwater storage and rapid runoff response. The modeling objective is to address the following study questions: (1) for the two hydrologic regimes, how does the flood management, water supply, and environmental performance of current reservoir operations change under future 2.5, 50 and 97.5 percentile streamflow projections; and (2) how much change in inflow is required to initiate a failure to meet downstream minimum or maximum flows in the future. We couple global climate model results with a rainfall-runoff model and a formal Bayesian uncertainty analysis to simulate future inflow hydrographs as inputs to a reservoir operations model. To evaluate reservoir performance under a changing climate, we calculate reservoir refill reliability, changes in flood frequency, and reservoir time and volumetric reliability of meeting minimum spring and summer flow target. Reservoir performance under future hydrology appears to vary with hydrogeology. We find higher sensitivity to floods for the North Santiam Basin and higher sensitivity to minimum flow targets for the South Santiam Basin. Higher uncertainty is related with basins with a more complex hydrologeology. Results from model simulations contribute to understanding of the reliability and vulnerability of reservoirs to a changing climate.

Study on the enhancement of hydrocarbon recovery by characterization of the reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Tae-Jin; Kwak, Young-Hoon; Huh, Dae-Gee [Korea Institute of Geology Mining and Materials, Taejon (KR)] (and others)

1999-12-01

The reservoir geochemistry is to understand the origin of these heterogeneities and distributions of the bitumens within the reservoir and to use them not only for exploration but for the development of the petroleums. Methods and principles of the reservoir geochemistry, which are applicable to the petroleum exploration and development, are reviewed in the study. In addition, a case study was carried out on the gas, condensate, water and bitumen samples in the reservoir, taken from the Haenam, Pohang areas and the Ulleung Basin offshore Korea. Mineral geothermometers were studied to estimate the thermal history in sedimentary basins and successfully applied to the Korean onshore and offshore basins. The opal silica-to-quartz transformation was investigated in the Pohang basin as a geothermometer. In Korean basins, the smectite-to-illite changes indicate that smectite and illite can act as the geothermometer to estimate the thermal history of the basins. The albitization reaction was also considered as a temperature indicator. Naturally fractured reservoir is an important source of oil and gas throughout the world. The properties of matrix and fracture are the key parameters in predicting the performances of naturally fractured reservoirs. A new laboratory equipment has been designed and constructed by pressure pulse method to determine the properties, which are (1) the porosity of matrix, (2) the permeability of matrix, (3) the effective width of the fractures, and the permeability of the fractures. (author). 97 refs.

Integrated Reflection Seismic Monitoring and Reservoir Modeling for Geologic CO2 Sequestration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John Rogers

2011-12-31

The US DOE/NETL CCS MVA program funded a project with Fusion Petroleum Technologies Inc. (now SIGMA) to model the proof of concept of using sparse seismic data in the monitoring of CO{sub 2} injected into saline aquifers. The goal of the project was to develop and demonstrate an active source reflection seismic imaging strategy based on deployment of spatially sparse surface seismic arrays. The primary objective was to test the feasibility of sparse seismic array systems to monitor the CO{sub 2} plume migration injected into deep saline aquifers. The USDOE/RMOTC Teapot Dome (Wyoming) 3D seismic and reservoir data targeting the Crow Mountain formation was used as a realistic proxy to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed methodology. Though the RMOTC field has been well studied, the Crow Mountain as a saline aquifer has not been studied previously as a CO{sub 2} sequestration (storage) candidate reservoir. A full reprocessing of the seismic data from field tapes that included prestack time migration (PSTM) followed by prestack depth migration (PSDM) was performed. A baseline reservoir model was generated from the new imaging results that characterized the faults and horizon surfaces of the Crow Mountain reservoir. The 3D interpretation was integrated with the petrophysical data from available wells and incorporated into a geocellular model. The reservoir structure used in the geocellular model was developed using advanced inversion technologies including Fusion's ThinMAN{trademark} broadband spectral inversion. Seal failure risk was assessed using Fusion's proprietary GEOPRESS{trademark} pore pressure and fracture pressure prediction technology. CO{sub 2} injection was simulated into the Crow Mountain with a commercial reservoir simulator. Approximately 1.2MM tons of CO{sub 2} was simulated to be injected into the Crow Mountain reservoir over 30 years and subsequently let 'soak' in the reservoir for 970 years. The relatively small plume

Simulation of a SAGD well blowout using a reservoir-wellbore coupled simulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walter, J.; Vanegas, P.; Cunha, L.B. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada); Worth, D.J. [C-FER Technologies, Edmonton, AB (Canada); Crepin, S. [Petrocedeno, Caracas (Venezuela)

2008-10-15

Single barrier completion systems are typically used in SAGD projects due to the lack of equipment suitable for high temperature SAGD downhole environments. This study used a wellbore and reservoir coupled thermal simulator tool to investigate the blowout behaviour of a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) well pair when the safety barrier has failed. Fluid flow pressure drop through the wellbore and heat losses between the wellbore and the reservoir were modelled using a discretized wellbore option and a semi-analytical model. The fully coupled mechanistic model accounted for the simultaneous transient pressure and temperature variations along the wellbore and the reservoir. The simulations were used to predict flowing potential and fluid compositions of both wells in a SAGD well pair under various flowing conditions. Blowout scenarios were created for 3 different points in the well pair's life. Three flow paths during the blowout were evaluated for both the production and injection wells. Results of the study were used to conduct a comparative risk assessment between a double barrier and a single barrier completion. The modelling study confirmed that both the injection and production wells had the potential for blowouts lasting significant periods of time, with liquid rates over 50 times the normal production liquid rates. The model successfully predicted the blowout flow potential of the SAGD well pairs. 8 refs., 3 tabs., 18 figs.

Impact of Petrophysical Properties on Hydraulic Fracturing and Development in Tight Volcanic Gas Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yinghao Shen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The volcanic reservoir is an important kind of unconventional reservoir. The aqueous phase trapping (APT appears because of fracturing fluids filtration. However, APT can be autoremoved for some wells after certain shut-in time. But there is significant distinction for different reservoirs. Experiments were performed to study the petrophysical properties of a volcanic reservoir and the spontaneous imbibition is monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR and pulse-decay permeability. Results showed that natural cracks appear in the samples as well as high irreducible water saturation. There is a quick decrease of rock permeability once the rock contacts water. The pores filled during spontaneous imbibition are mainly the nanopores from NMR spectra. Full understanding of the mineralogical effect and sample heterogeneity benefits the selection of segments to fracturing. The fast flow-back scheme is applicable in this reservoir to minimize the damage. Because lots of water imbibed into the nanopores, the main flow channels become larger, which are beneficial to the permeability recovery after flow-back of hydraulic fracturing. This is helpful in understanding the APT autoremoval after certain shut-in time. Also, Keeping the appropriate production differential pressure is very important in achieving the long term efficient development of volcanic gas reservoirs.

Chemical and physical reservoir parameters at initial conditions in Berlin geothermal field, El Salvador: a first assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D`Amore, F. [CNR, Pisa (Italy). International Institute for Geothermal Research ; Mejia, J.T. [Comision Ejuctiva Hidroelectrica del Rio Lempa, El Salvador (El Salvador)

1999-02-01

A study has been made to obtain the main chemical and physical reservoir conditions of the Berlin field (El Salvador), before the commencement of large-scale exploitation of the geothermal resource. The upflow zone and the main flow path within the geothermal system have been determined from the area distribution of chemical parameters such as Cl concentrations, ratios such as Na/K, K/Mg, K/Ca, and temperatures computed from silica concentrations and cation ratios. Gas compositions have been used to calculate reservoir parameters such as temperature, steam fraction and P{sub CO{sub 2}}. The computer code WATCH (new edition 1994) has been used to evaluate the temperature of equilibrium between the aqueous species and selected alteration minerals in the reservoir. The fluid in Berlin flows to the exploited reservoir from the south, entering it in the vicinity of well TR-5. Along its flow-path (south-north direction), the fluid is cooled by boiling and conductive cooling. The chloride-enthalpy diagram indicates the existence of a parent water, with a chemical composition similar to well TR-5, that boils and the residual brine produces the fluid of well TR-3, which is very concentrated in salts. The fluid of TR-5 is probably produced from this parent water, generating the fluids of wells TR-2 and TR-9 by boiling, and the fluids of wells TR-1 and TR-4 by conductive cooling. The computed values for the deep steam fraction clearly indicate that this is a liquid-dominated system, with computed temperature values decreasing from 310{sup o}C (upflow zone) to about 230{sup o}C, from south to north. (author)

Vapour pressure of components made by the presence of HgS(s,alpha) in an oil/gas reservoir and consequences for the produced gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oestvold, T.; Gustavsen, Oe.; Grande, K.; Aas, N.; Olsvik, Mimmi Kjetsaa

2006-03-15

A thermodynamic analysis is presented on how components made from HgS (s,alpha), existing in a oil/gas reservoir, will distribute themselves between gas, water, liquid and solid components as a function of temperature and pressure. The consequence of the formation of mercury containing components on gas injection and on gas quality is discussed. Since equilibrium is established in the model calculation, other gas components in the gas phase and components in condensed phases present will also influence the composition of the gas. Six cases are considered in the calculation: 1) HgS(s,alpha) - Ar(g), 2) HgS(s,alpha) - Ar (g) - water with 10-4 molal NaCl at pH = 7, 3) HgS(s,alpha) - CH{sub 4}(g), 4) HgS(s,alpha) - CH{sub 4} (g) - water with 10-4 molal NaCl at pH = 7 and 5) HgS(s,alpha) - natural gas - water with 10-4 molal NaCl at pH = 7, 6) HgS(s,alpha) - natural gas - water with 10-4 molal NaCl and 5*10-5 molal NO-3- at pH = 7. When HgS(s,alpha) is present in an oil reservoir at 170 deg C and 200 bar, these calculations show that the major components formed are: H{sub 2}(g), H{sub 2}S(g), Hg(l) and Hg(g) together with carbon. Mercury in the gas phase in the cases 1) is 4*10-7 bar and is determined by the evaporation and decomposition HgS(g) in the reservoir. In case 2) P{sub Hg} = 5.7*10-4 bar mainly determined by the formation of sulphate in the water phase. In the cases 3), 4) and 5) these calculations show that the major components formed are: H{sub 2}(g), H{sub 2}S(g), Hg(l) and Hg(g) together with carbon, and the gas phase is dominated by Hg(g) at approx. *10-3 bar. The water phase may contain Hg(CH{sub 3}NH{sub 2}){sub 2}2+ if NO{sub 3}- for some reasons is introduced into the formation water, and the very carcinogenic dimethyl mercury compound, C{sub 2}HgH{sub 6}, can be formed in the gas phase. Both compounds, however, in insignificant low concentration/partial pressure. (Author)

Groundwater Salinity Simulation of a Subsurface Reservoir in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, H. T.

2015-12-01

The subsurface reservoir is located in Chi-Ken Basin, Pescadores (a group islands located at western part of Taiwan). There is no river in these remote islands and thus the freshwater supply is relied on the subsurface reservoir. The basin area of the subsurface reservoir is 2.14 km2 , discharge of groundwater is 1.27×106m3 , annual planning water supplies is 7.9×105m3 , which include for domestic agricultural usage. The annual average temperature is 23.3oC, average moisture is 80~85%, annual average rainfall is 913 mm, but ET rate is 1975mm. As there is no single river in the basin; the major recharge of groundwater is by infiltration. Chi-Ken reservoir is the first subsurface reservoir in Taiwan. Originally, the water quality of the reservoir is good. The reservoir has had the salinity problem since 1991 and it became more and more serious from 1992 until 1994. Possible reason of the salinity problem was the shortage of rainfall or the leakage of the subsurface barrier which caused the seawater intrusion. The present study aimed to determine the leakage position of subsurface barrier that caused the salinity problem. In order to perform the simulation for different possible leakage position of the subsurface reservoir, a Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) is used to define soils layer data, hydro-geological parameters, initial conditions, boundary conditions and the generation of three dimension meshes. A three dimension FEMWATER(Yeh , 1996) numerical model was adopted to find the possible leakage position of the subsurface barrier and location of seawater intrusion by comparing the simulation of different possible leakage with the observations. 1.By assuming the leakage position in the bottom of barrier, the simulated numerical result matched the observation better than the other assumed leakage positions. It showed that the most possible leakage position was at the bottom of the barrier. 2.The research applied three dimension FEMWATER and GMS as an interface

Bluebell Field, Uinta Basin: reservoir characterization for improved well completion and oil recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, S.L.; Morgan, C.D.

1998-01-01

Bluefield Field is the largest oil-producing area in the Unita basin of northern Utah. The field inclucdes over 300 wells and has produced 137 Mbbl oil and 177 bcf gas from fractured Paleocene-Eocene lacustrine and fluvial deposits of the Green River and Wasatch (Colton) formations. Oil and gas are produced at depths of 10 500-13 000 ft (3330-3940 m), with the most prolific reservoirs existing in over-pressured sandstones of the Colton Formation and the underlying Flagstaff Member of the lower Green River Formation. Despite a number of high-recovery wells (1-3 MMbbl), overall field recovery remains low, less than 10% original oil in place. This low recovery rate is interpreted to be at least partly a result of completion practices. Typically, 40-120 beds are perforated and stimulated with acid (no proppant) over intervals of up to 3000 ft (900 m). Little or no evaluation of individual beds is performed, preventing identification of good-quality reservoir zones, water-producing zones, and thief zones. As a result, detailed understanding of Bluebell reservoirs historically has been poor, inhibiting any improvements in recovery strategies. A recent project undertaken in Bluebell field as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Class 1 (fluvial-deltaic reservoir) Oil Demonstration program has focused considerable effort on reservoir characterization. This effort has involved interdisciplinary analysis of core, log, fracture, geostatistical, production, and other data. Much valuable new information on reservoir character has resulted, with important implications for completion techniques and recovery expectations. Such data should have excellent applicability to other producing areas in the Uinta Basin withi reservoirs in similar lacustrine and related deposits.Bluebell field is the largest oil-producing area in the Uinta basin of northern Utah. The field includes over 300 wells and has produced 137 MMbbl oil and 177 bcf gas from fractured Paleocene-Eocene lacustrine

Estimation of Bank Erosion Due To Reservoir Operation in Cascade (Case Study: Citarum Cascade Reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sri Legowo

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Sedimentation is such a crucial issue to be noted once the accumulated sediment begins to fill the reservoir dead storage, this will then influence the long-term reservoir operation. The sediment accumulated requires a serious attention for it may influence the storage capacity and other reservoir management of activities. The continuous inflow of sediment to the reservoir will decrease the capacity of reservoir storage, the reservoir value in use, and the useful age of reservoir. Because of that, the rate of the sediment needs to be delayed as possible. In this research, the delay of the sediment rate is considered based on the rate of flow of landslide of the reservoir slope. The rate of flow of the sliding slope can be minimized by way of each reservoir autonomous efforts. This effort can be performed through; the regulation of fluctuating rate of reservoir surface current that does not cause suddenly drawdown and upraising as well. The research model is compiled using the searching technique of Non Linear Programming (NLP.The rate of bank erosion for the reservoir variates from 0.0009 to 0.0048 MCM/year, which is no sigrificant value to threaten the life time of reservoir.Mean while the rate of watershed sediment has a significant value, i.e: 3,02 MCM/year for Saguling that causes to fullfill the storage capacity in 40 next years (from years 2008.